“I Hate Russians”: Paulo Costa Aims for Khamzat Chimaev After Murzakanov at UFC 327
Paulo Costa has turned UFC 327 fight week into a running feud with Russian fighters and a renewed campaign to draw Khamzat Chimaev into a grudge match.
In Miami, Costa meets undefeated Russian contender Azamat Murzakanov in his light heavyweight debut at UFC 327 on April 11, a co-main event that could push him straight into the title picture. The Brazilian, a former middleweight title challenger with a 15–4 record, has bulked up for the move to 205 pounds and has framed Murzakanov, who sits at 16–0, as the second Russian in a row he plans to hand a loss.
Speaking at media day, Costa said he “likes to fight Russians” and called them tough, but then flipped the tone by leaning into a more hostile narrative to sell the matchup.
“I hate Russians. This is the second one in a row that I’m gonna put on my record, and the third one maybe Chimaev. I want him next after beating this fat guy.”
Paulo Costa Hates Russians
The build started months out when Paulo Costa posted a photo and message aimed at “bald, chubby Russians,” a line widely read as a jab at Murzakanov’s physique. He has since kept that angle alive through interviews and press appearances, mixing jokes with sharper comments about Russian fighters in general. One recent social media headline captured the tone, quoting Costa saying he “hates these f—king Russians” while promising to call out Chimaev if he gets his hand raised at UFC 327.
Chimaev remains the real target behind much of the trash talk. The pair have had a simmering rivalry since they were originally booked to fight at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi in October 2023, a bout that fell apart when Costa withdrew due to surgery on an infected elbow. Chimaev stayed on the card and extended his unbeaten run, later going on to capture the middleweight title by beating Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319. Costa has followed that rise closely, traveling to events and using interviews to keep his name attached to the champion.
UFC 327
Ahead of UFC 327, Costa has said he is willing to face Chimaev at either middleweight or light heavyweight, insisting he can move between divisions depending on how his debut at 205 goes. In an appearance earlier this year, he argued that a strong win over Murzakanov should put him “in line” for Chimaev, whether that means a title shot at 185 or a high-profile non-title fight. He has framed Murzakanov as one step in a sequence of Russian opponents, with Chimaev as the third name he wants on that run.
For now, the focus is Murzakanov, a compact, heavy-handed wrestler riding an unbeaten streak and looking to spoil Costa’s first outing at light heavyweight. Costa, though, has made it clear that his mouth is working two fights at once: beat this “fat guy,” as he put it in one barb, and then use the microphone to drag Chimaev into the cage next.
