Azamat Murzakanov says Costa win will put him close to title shot

Azamat Murzakanov has stated that defeating Paulo Costa will bring him significantly closer to a light heavyweight title fight, despite Costa making his debut in the division. The Russian contender views this as a crucial opportunity to establish himself among title contenders at 205 pounds. Murzakanov appears confident that a victory over the high-profile Costa will carry substantial weight with UFC matchmakers. Costa is moving up from middleweight, where he was a former title challenger. The statement suggests Murzakanov sees this as potentially the most important fight of his career to date.