The UFC is staging more than 40 events in 2014 with hundreds of fighters going in and out of the octagon. There’s only a brief window of opportunity to make a lasting impression on fans, and some do it better than others.

UFC Fight Night 55 took place Saturday and streamed on UFC Fight Pass from Allphones Arena in Sydney, and of the 22 competitors to compete on the UFC’s sixth event on the continent, three turned in performances that stood out from the rest.

Now that UFC Fight Night 55 is in the books, it’s time to commence MMAjunkie’s “Three Stars” ceremony.

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Third Star: Louis Smolka

Louis Smolka (8-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) pulled off a spectacular when he finished Richie Vaculik (10-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC) with a stepping sidekick to the face for a TKO in the opening seconds of the third round.

“The Last Samurai” appeared to be five minutes away from defeat after dropping the first two rounds and taking a considerable amount of damage in the process. He refused to give up, though, and came out early in the final round determined to finish the fight.

Not only did Smolka prove he has the durability and resiliency of a top-tier competitor, but he also showed brilliant creativity with his techniques en route to the highlight-reel stoppage.

Second Star: Jake Matthews

Some of the world’s top fighters have shared the cage with Vagner Rocha, but none could lock the Brazilian in a submission. Donald Cerrone couldn’t do it, Igor Gracie couldn’t do it, and Jonathan Brookins couldn’t do it.

That’s what makes the fact Jake Matthews (8-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) not only submitted Rocha (11-4 MMA, 1-3 UFC), but choked him completely unconscious, such an impressive feat, especially considering he’s the youngest male fighter on the UFC roster.

Similarly young fighters have signed with the UFC in the past, but Matthews’ confidence and poise make him seem like a far more mature competitor than he actually is.

Matthews just recently turned 20 and already has two UFC victories to his name, both by submission. With an undefeated record and all the potential to become an elite fighter, Matthews career should be as interesting one to follow in the coming years.

First Star: Luke Rockhold

Luke Rockhold (13-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) never had a glimmer of doubt he’d beat Michael Bisping (25-7 MMA, 15-7 UFC). And after his second-round submission of “The Count,” it’s not difficult to see why he so certain of the outcome.

From the moment the matchup moved into his crosshairs, Rockhold said he was far superior to Bisping. He didn’t get the first-round finish he predicted, but in the first minute of the second round, he landed a head kick that put Bisping on wobbly legs. He then proceeded to lock up a tight guillotine choke for the finish.

Save for the mishap against Vitor Belfort in his UFC debut, Rockhold has continued to reveal the extent of his talents little by little in each fight. Against Costas Philippou, he showed off his tremendous kicking ability while scoring a body-kick TKO. Against Tim Boetsch, he showed off slick grappling with an inverted-triangle/kimura submission. And against Bisping, he put the whole package together as a kick set up the submission.

Backed by one of the best camps in the world at American Kickboxing Academy, Rockhold is quickly establishing himself as one of the most fearsome forces in the middleweight division. The 30-year-old has climbed to the top once before to become a Strikeforce champion, and if he continues his current form, it might not be long until the UFC belt is around his waist as well.

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 55, check out the UFC Events section of the site.

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