8 Star-Making Performances In The UFC
1. Jorge Masvidal Vs. Ben Askren
Of all the fighters featured on this list, none have had to wait as long as Jorge Masvidal to finally get their well-earned spot in the limelight.
Masvidal made his MMA debut way back in 2003 during a time when many of the other inductees on this list where still in school, and has since gone on to have nearly 50 fights across MMA and boxing.
However, despite an impressive record and several notable wins, the closest Masvidal had came to mainstream attention during his fighting career had been a pair of videos showcasing him competing in bare knuckle fights against a protege of Kimbo Slice.
After becoming part of the UFC roster following Zuffa's acquisition of Strikeforce in 2011, Masvidal would continue to showcase his varied skillset without ever getting his big break.
Sometimes for a fighter to truly endear themselves to the general public, they need a worthy adversary to really bring some attention to when they finally showdown. Masvidal would get that from Ben Askren, an undefeated wrestler with an uncanny ability to get under his opponent's skin.
Despite Askren's provocations, Masvidal remained unfazed in the buildup to their fight at UFC 239 continually asserting that he just couldn't wait to get his hands on Askren.
When the cage door closed behind them, Masvidal wasted no time engaging his opponent. Immediately as the fight began Masvidal charged towards an oncoming Askren before unleashing one of the most brutal flying knees in the history of MMA, connecting perfectly and leaving Askren completely unconscious after a record-breaking five seconds.
Masvidal's meteoric rise would continue from here, including winning the BMF Championship as the headliner of UFC 244, but it was his bout with Askren that launched him into the mainstream.