The 3 stars of ‘UFC Fight Night 81: Dillashaw vs. Cruz' in Boston

Eddie Alvarez

The UFC plans another hectic and loaded schedule this year, 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 Sunday as part of UFC Fight Night 81 at Boston’s TD Garden. Now that the FOX Sports 1-televised event is in the books, it’s time to commence MMAjunkie’s “Three Stars” ceremony.

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Third Star: Patrick Cote

Patrick Cote (23-9 MMA, 10-9 UFC) continued to thrive in his third UFC stint when he improved to 5-1 since he dropped to welterweight. The latest triumph was a second-round TKO of Ben Saunders (19-7-2 MMA, 7-6 UFC).

Cote started his UFC career with four defeats before he parted ways with the organization. He returned as a cast member on “The Ultimate Fighter 4” and eventually worked his way to a middleweight title fight against then-champ Anderson Silva. The title fight didn’t go Cote’s way; he suffered a mid-fight knee injury that marked the beginning of a three-fight skid and led to his second release from the UFC roster.

Cote showed his grit and determination by working his way back to the octagon a third time, and he’s been nearly error-free since. He showed added tools to his game when he threatened Saunders with a submission before finishing the fight with punches in a performance that finally brought his UFC record above .500 after more than 11 years in and out of the company,

Second Star: Eddie Alvarez

Eddie Alvarez (27-4 MMA, 2-1 UFC) followed his June victory over former Strikeforce champ Gilbert Melendez with another crucial split-decision win when he topped former UFC and WEC lightweight titleholder Anthony Pettis (18-4 MMA, 5-3 UFC) in a result that significantly bolstered his resume.

Alvarez has long been considered one of the best 155-pound fighters in the world. His accomplishments outside of the UFC, such as winning the Bellator title, gave him plenty of credibility. However, curiosity and event doubts about how he would perform against the elite of the elite inside the octagon always lingered.

After he dropped a decision to Donald Cerrone in his long-awaited UFC debut, Alvarez has taken out two of the most talented lightweights in the sport. The fight with Pettis wasn’t the most thrilling affair, but Alvarez implemented the proper strategy for an opponent with “Showtime’s” skillset.

What makes Alvarez even more incredible is that many, including himself, would agree that he’s yet to put on a performance fully indicative of his talent. He called for a title shot after the fight, and if he gets it, there would be no better platform to display the entirety of his arsenal.

First Star: Dominick Cruz

A horrific string of injuries once pushed Dominick Cruz (21-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) out of his role as UFC bantamweight champion. He was forced to sit on the sidelines for years watching others compete for the belt he never officially lost, but in Boston, he finally got his chance to regain the title and came out on the winning end.

Whether his split-decision victory over T.J. Dillashaw (12-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) was justified or not, Cruz put on a championship-caliber performance against a fierce opponent and was granted the victory.

From his footwork and movement to his sharp takedown ability, Cruz hardly looked the part of a fighter who’s endured three knee surgeries and a bevy of other injuries over the past four years. He came back from the grueling layoff and was able to compete at a high pace for five rounds.

Although a new chapter in Cruz’s career is just beginning, his story is already one of the most remarkable in the sport’s history. Cruz’s comeback from crushing injury woes is an inspiring tale of mental and physical perseverance. At this point anything more “The Dominator” achieves is simply icing on the cake.

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 81, check out the UFC Events section of the site.