The three stars of 'UFC Fight Night 45: Cowboy vs. Miller' in Atlantic City

The UFC is staging more than 40 events in 2014 with hundreds of fighters going in and out of the octagon. That means 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 45 went down Wednesday night from Atlantic City’s Revel Casino Hotel in New Jersey, and out of 22 competitors on the card, three turned in performances that stood out from the rest.

Here are MMAjunkie’s three stars for UFC Fight Night 45.

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Third Star – Aljamain Sterling

In a UFC bantamweight division in desperate need of intriguing prospects, Aljamain Sterling (10-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) put his name on the map with a third-round knockout of Hugo Viana (8-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) on the preliminary card.

“I’m here, I’m ready, and I’m going to be a contender for sure,” the Serra-Longo trained fighter told Jon Anik after his victory.

The 24-year-old showed signs of brilliance in his UFC debut earlier this year, but he took that fight on short notice. Backed by a full training camp in his sophomore effort, Sterling blew the doors off a very capable opponent.

Clearly up on the scorecards in the final two minutes of the third round, Sterling could have cruised to a decision win without receiving a molecule of criticism. Instead, he showed the type of killer instinct every MMA fan wants to see and put a stamp on Viana with strikes.

Sterling is calling his shot as a future 135-pound contender. With an undefeated record and two impressive UFC victories to his name, there’s a good chance his prediction will be right on the money.

Second Star – Edson Barboza

Despite the fact Edson Barboza (14-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) has suffered some key losses during his UFC tenure, he is without question one of the most prolific kickers in the organization’s history. He proved that once again when he stopped Evan Dunham (14-6 MMA, 7-6 UFC) in the first round with a blow to the midsection.

Not only does Barboza now own four kick-related knockouts to his name in UFC competition (the most ever), but he’s also built his way to the feat with a varied attack. He has knocked an opponent out with a kick to the head, has stopped others with his famous kicks to the legs, and against Dunham, it was a shot to the body that led to the win.

Barboza needed to perform at a high level against Dunham after his last trip to the octagon resulted in a first-round submission loss. He did just that, and further proved why he is one of the few fighters in the UFC that viewers can’t afford to blink when watching compete.

First Star – Donald Cerrone

Donald Cerrone (24-6 MMA, 11-3 UFC), somewhat like Barboza, has underperformed during key moments inside the octagon. But in arguably his most important fight to date, “Cowboy” showed up and knocked out Jim Miller (24-5 MMA, 13-4 UFC) in the second round.

Fighting in a UFC main event for the first time, the pressure was on Cerrone to deliver an exceptional performance. After a slow start in the opening round, Cerrone opened up with his diverse kicking attack in the second frame and put Miller on the defensive.

Just when Miller overprotected his body from the kick, Cerrone showed enviable fight IQ by taking his strikes up high. He connected with a clean shot that led to the first knockout loss of Miller’s career.

The Jackson-Winkeljohn MMA product has finished his past four opponents inside the octagon and appears to be enjoying his profession more than ever before. If he continues to bring sharp skills and unshakable confidence into his fights, he’ll continue to be a difficult outing for anyone at 155 pounds.

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 45, check out the UFC Events section of the site.