The three stars of 'UFC Fight Night 51: Silva vs. Arlovski 2' in Brazil

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 51 took place Saturday and streamed on UFC Fight Pass from Nilson Nelson Gymnasium in Brasilia, Brazil, and of the 22 competitors to compete on the UFC’s fourth event of the year in Brazil, three turned in performances that stood out from the rest.

Now that UFC Fight Night 51 is in the books, it’s time to commence MMAjunkie’s “Three Stars” ceremony.

Third Star: Jessica Andrade

Jessica Andrade (12-3 MMA, 3-1 UFC) is one of the youngest fighters on the UFC roster. At just 22, the Brazilian has a very bright future in the sport.

Despite the fact she is the smallest fighter in the UFC women’s bantamweight division, Andrade makes up for her lack of size with a relentless ferocity inside the octagon.

Andrade made an example of Larissa Pacheco (10-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) with a one-round beat down that ended in a crushing guillotine choke submission. She has now won three consecutive UFC fights and is making waves as someone who could eventually challenge for a world championship.

While Andrade will be the first to admit she isn’t ready for a title shot and doesn’t want to rush into such an intense situation before she is ready to capitalize on it.

Second Star: Godofredo Pepey

Godofredo Pepey (11-3 MMA, 3-3 UFC) may never evolve beyond a fighter who grabs a spot on the card whenever the UFC hits Brazil, but he’s undoubtedly one of the most exciting fighters the featherweight division has to offer.

Pepey most recent effort saw him lock up a “Submission of the Year” candidate when he tangled Dashon Johnson (9-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) in a mounted triangle choke/armbar combination for the victory.

It was the second fight in a row where Pepey was awarded a “Performance of the Night” bonus. He was also granted an additional $50,000 for his spectacular flying knee knockout of Noah Lahat in March.

Pepey expressed his desire to fight for the UFC outside of Brazil in the near future, but after remarkable showings in his past two bouts, it might be in his best interest to stay put.

First Star: Andrei Arlovski

There’s no debate: Andrei Arlovski’s (23-10 MMA, 12-4 UFC) victory was the biggest talking point to come out of UFC Fight Night 51. The nearly 5-to-1 betting underdog stunned the world and Antonio Silva (18-6-1 MMA, 2-3-1 UFC) with a first-round knockout, improving to 2-0 since rejoining the UFC roster in June.

It was only a little more than three years ago when Arlovski was on a brutal four-fight losing streak and appeared on his way out of the sport. He’s somehow managed to revive his career, though, and is back with the UFC scoring a devastating knockout in an event headliners.

Arlovski still needs more fights against elite competition to determine his ceiling at this point in his career. But even if he never wins another fight, the fact he knocked out “Bigfoot” in front of Silva’s hometown fans in Brazil is a moment he’ll be able to relish forever.

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 51, check out the UFC Events section of the site.