8 Star-Making Performances In The UFC

Sometimes, all a fighter needs is that one exceptional performance to see them catapulted into MMA superstardom. Whether that be by dethroning established UFC royalty, executing a flawless performance inside the Octagon, or debuting a new technique which sends fans into a frenzy, there are a number of different ways that an athlete can announce themselves as a potential star.

The beauty of combat sports, as opposed to many team sports, is that it only takes a moment of brilliance to completely change the course of a contest. One only needs to look at the sheer amount of come-from-behind victories in high-profile fights to see just how quickly the momentum can change at the highest levels of the game. Even then, sometimes what appears like a routine affair for a heavy favourite can see an underdog completely upset the odds by prevailing in dominant fashion.

This list will show that there isn't one path to global success in MMA, but a variety of ways fighters can embed themselves in our consciousness and cement their status as stars of the UFC.

"Adversity doesn't build character, it reveals it."

When Georges St-Pierre was defeated by Matt Serra back at UFC 69 in what is still considered to be one of the biggest upsets in the history of mixed martial arts, many were quick to question whether he had the fortitude to compete at the elite level of the sport.

After all, the fight marked Serra's first-ever win via knockout or TKO and occurred less than four minutes into the fight scheduled for five rounds. GSP had been dethroned right as it appeared his reign as UFC Welterweight Champion was about to commence, and he now had to dust himself down and earn his way back to the top of the heap.

And that's exactly what he did.

GSP's first foray into the Octagon following the knockout loss saw him comprehensively out grapple distinguished wrestler Josh Koscheck to resume his ascent up the welterweight rankings. Then, when Serra had to pull out of his first scheduled defence against Matt Hughes due to injury, the Canadian stepped in and defeated Hughes via submission to win the UFC Interim Welterweight Championship and put himself in prime position for the rematch with Serra.

When GSP finally got his opportunity to exact revenge at UFC 83 he was relentless. St-Pierre showed the full extent of his diverse offensive arsenal in the first round by dumping Serra to the mat and punishing him with strikes. Then, in the second round, GSP once again showed no fear of Serra's knockout power before securing the takedown and forcing the referee to call a stop to the contest after a barrage of knees to his prone opponent.

This fight marked a turning point in Georges' career. After reclaiming his belt, St-Pierre would abandon some of his wilder tendencies in favour of a more methodical approach, systematically exploiting his opponent's weaknesses to become the most dominant UFC Welterweight Champion of all time.