Paulo Costa stopped Azamat Murzakanov in the third round at UFC 327 in Miami on Saturday night, but it was a post-fight exchange with Donald Trump that dominated the conversation afterward.
After Costa secured the TKO victory in the co-main event, Trump, who was seated cageside, approached the Brazilian contender near the Octagon and delivered an unexpected compliment that immediately went viral.
"Too good looking to be a fighter," Trump told Costa in a moment captured on camera and shared widely across social media.
The exchange added another layer of spectacle to an already entertaining night for Costa, who had to dig deep to earn the finish. He overcame early adversity before his power and pressure broke Murzakanov down in the third round to seal the stoppage. Murzakanov had entered the fight with a 16-0 record before falling to Borrachinha in what was Costa's light heavyweight debut.
After the fight, Costa called out Khamzat Chimaev, saying he has "beef" with the current UFC Middleweight Champion and would be willing to fight him at either 185 or 205 pounds.
The win keeps Costa firmly in the contender conversation as he continues to campaign for another shot at championship gold.
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