The three stars of ‘UFC Fight Night 77: Belfort vs. Henderson 3' in Brazil

The UFC plans to stage 41 events in 2015, and during that time, hundreds of fighters will enter and exit the octagon.

While pre-fight hype is an enjoyable aspect of the sport, it’s ultimately the in-cage performances that speak most to fans. For the majority of fighters, the opportunity to present their skills to the world only comes along a few times per year.

A total of 26 fighters got the chance on Saturday as part of UFC Fight Night 77 at Ibirapuera Gymnasium in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Now that the event is in the books, it’s time to commence MMAjunkie’s “Three Stars” ceremony.

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Thiago Tavares

Third Star: Thiago Tavares

Longtime UFC veteran Thiago Tavares (20-6-1 MMA, 10-6-1 UFC) earned arguably the most significant victory of his career when he submitted Clay Guida (32-16 MMA, 12-10 UFC) in a mere 39 seconds.

Tavares turned an early Guida takedown attempt into his first and last mistake of the fight. He locked in a guillotine choke and despite heavy resistance from “The Carpenter,” held on until the tap out arrived.

The victory earned Tavares a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” award and moved him to 2-1 since he dropped to the featherweight division.

Vitor Belfort

Second Star: Vitor Belfort

Although his was dismantled by Chris Weidman in his UFC middleweight title bid earlier this year, Vitor Belfort (25-11 MMA, 14-7 UFC) proved he still has plenty left in the tank when he took out former PRIDE and Strikeforce champ Dan Henderson (31-13 MMA, 8-8 UFC) to conclude their trilogy.

Belfort is unlikely to ever recapture UFC gold, but he still has the speed, power and technique to defeat many talented competitors.

The win over Henderson was particularly significant for “The Phenom” because it elevated his status in the UFC record books. He’s tied with Anderson Silva for the most stoppage victories in history and stands alone at the top of the all-time wins list.

Regardless of what happens in his next fight and any other beyond that, Belfort has already solidified his status as one of the sport’s most notable competitors.

Thomas Almeida

First Star: Thomas Almeida

Bantamweight prospect Thomas Almeida (20-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) kept his perfect record intact with his third consecutive “Performance of the Night” knockout, this time claiming Anthony Birchak (12-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC) as his victim.

Almeida showed more patience and precision than ever before a hefty combination of strikes led to the first-round knockout sequence.

At just 24, Almeida is now 20-0 and has won each fight in a convincing manner.

The UFC bantamweight division is thin and at the top but Almeida’s rapid rise has generated great interest. Almeida is undoubtedly the future, and at his current rate of development, it shouldn’t surprise anyone if he eventually holds UFC gold.

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 77, check out the UFC Events section of the site.