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The three stars of ‘UFC 177: Dillashaw vs. Soto’ in Sacramento

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The UFC is staging more than 40 events this year, with hundreds of fighters entering the octagon. There’s only a brief window of opportunity to make a lasting impression, and some do it better than others.

UFC 177 took place Saturday at Sacramento’s Sleep Train Arena, and of the 18 competitors to compete on the organization’s eighth pay-per-view event of the year, three turned in performances that stood out from the rest.

Now that UFC 177 is in the books, it’s time to commence MMAjunkie’s “Three Stars” ceremony.

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Third star: Joe Soto

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While it’s rare for a losing fighter to come in on our “Three Stars” list, Joe Soto deserves major recognition for giving bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw a competitive fight on incredibly short notice.

Soto (15-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) never truly put Dillashaw in danger before he was finally stopped in the fifth round, but he did have some moments of success that raise questions about how he would have fared with more time to prepare and strategize.

Nevertheless, Soto’s willingness to step up to fight the champion on short notice, combined with his fight-night performance, put him on the radar in a way few other opportunities could. He’ll certainly have to work his way back to another title shot, but his road is much shorter than it would have been if he hadn’t fought Dillashaw.

Second Star: Carlos Diego Ferreira

Two UFC appearances and two fight-night bonuses are the story of Carlos Diego Ferreira’s (11-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) young UFC career. At this rate, the undefeated 29-year-old looks as if he could be something special in the UFC’s deep lightweight division.

After scoring a $50,000 bonus for his submission of Colton Smith in his UFC debut, Ferreira put forth a “Fight of the Night” effort en route to a second-round knockout of Ramsey Nijem at UFC 177.

Nijem entered the event on a hot streak, and while his half of fight-night bonus money will lessen the sting of defeat, Ferreira put an abrupt end to his momentum and took it for himself.

First Star: T.J. Dillashaw

Dillashaw (11-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) faced immense pressure when he fought Soto in a main event in his hometown. Soto may have been an unknown to most, but in reality, he presented a stern challenge for the champion.

Why? It’s not just because of his skills, but also because of the fact a Dillashaw loss would have ruined much of the Team Alpha Male fighter’s credibility. Dillashaw could have been the victim of the biggest upset in UFC history, but instead, he rose to the occasion and dominated his way to a fifth-round knockout win.

The 28-year-old hit his opponent with more than 100 significant strikes for the third consecutive fight, marking a new UFC record. He also now holds a share of the divisional wins and finishes records, which only add to his argument as one of the world’s best fighters.

Dillashaw deserves serious props for taking a fight in a situation many other champions may have turned down. That’s going to earn him major points in the eyes of the UFC brass going into his second title defense.

For complete coverage of UFC 177, stay tuned to the UFC Events section of the site.

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Be sure to visit the MMA Junkie Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with fans of mixed martial arts.

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