The three stars of 'UFC Fight Night 36: Machida vs. Mousasi' in Brazil

For the second event in a row, the UFC produced a dull fight card where the memorable performances were few and far between.

UFC 169 earlier this month seemed like an easy act to follow after a record 10 fights went to a decision. Apparently no one told that to the fighters at UFC Fight Night 36, though, as they matched that unfortunate record with all but two bouts on the card going either the 15- or 25-minute distance.

The UFC’s first event of the year from Brazil went down inside Jaragua do Sul’s Arena Jaragua, and while it was mostly a forgettable show, there were still some resonating performances on the card.

Now that the UFC’s 13th trip to Brazil is a thing of the past, here are our three stars for UFC Fight Night 36.

Third Star: Erick Silva

Say what you will about the level of competition Erick Silva (17-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC) has defeated inside the octagon, but there’s no denying one thing: When the Brazilian wins, he does it as impressively as anyone on the UFC roster.

“Indio” needed just 52 seconds to shut down Takenori Sato with strikes on Saturday night, and he did it in about as flawless a fashion as you’ll see inside the octagon.

Silva landed every strike he threw in the fight and more importantly, didn’t absorb a single blow from his opponent for his troubles. Every time Silva has won under the UFC banner it has been a finish in the first round, which makes the 29-year-old can’t-miss television.

While the “future UFC champion” tag once placed on Silva has been proven as an overzealous prediction, the level of excitement the Brazilian powerhouse brings to the cage cannot be denied.

Second Star: Ronaldo Souza

Ronaldo Souza (20-3 MMA, 3-0 UFC) reaffirmed his status as a legit contender in the middleweight division as he did what 11 men immediately before him failed to do by defeating Francis Carmont (22-8 MMA, 6-1 UFC).

The French-Canadian import carried an 11-fight winning streak (including a 6-0 UFC record) into Saturday’s showdown with Souza, but the Brazilian made sure that streak didn’t reach a dozen.

Despite Carmont being arguably the most physically imposing force at 185 pounds, “Jacare” went straight for the jugular and tried his best to finish the fight on several occasions. To Carmont’s credit, though, he survived what few others have in the past, but ultimately simply surviving wasn’t enough as the judges scored the fight in Souza’s favor.

Souza has aspirations of one day becoming one of the few fighters in history to win UFC and Strikeforce championships. With a 3-0 start to his UFC career underway and only meaningful fights in his future, those aspirations are gradually turning into a reality.

First Star: Lyoto Machida

Even though he is now a UFC veteran 17 times over, Lyoto Machida‘s (21-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) talent when the octagon door closes still has the ability to dazzle and fascinate observers.

In his second fight since dropping to the middleweight division, Machida beat Gegard Mousasi (34-4-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) by decision over five rounds in what could only be described as a highly-technical striking battle.

Machida may not have got the finish he wanted over the five-round bout, but what he did do was display a more aggressive style than in the past and actively pursued a stoppage when possible. In fact, “The Dragon” landed more than one head-kick that would have sent lesser opponents crashing to the mat.

Nevertheless, Machida proved he is a force to be reckoned with at 185 pounds, and his style is going to be a tough nut to crack for anyone in the weight class.

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 36, check out the UFC Events section of the site.