The three stars of 'UFC Fight Night 57: Edgar vs. Swanson' in Austin

Paige VanZant

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 57 took place Saturday and aired on FOX Sports 1 from Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas, and of the 24 competitors to compete on the card, three turned in performances that stood out from the rest.

Now that UFC Fight Night 57 is in the books, it’s time to commence MMAjunkie’s “Three Stars” ceremony.

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Third Star: Alexey Oliynyk

Alexey Oliynyk

Prior to his encounter with Alexey Oliynyk (50-9-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC), Jared Rosholt’s (11-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) UFC career had gone flawlessly. “The Big Show” had taken each of his opponents to the ground and dominated them.

Oliynyk, to most, was nothing more than Rosholt’s next victim, but someone forgot to tell the 37-year-old Russian he was the underdog. He planted a perfect counter punch on Rosholt’s temple in the first round and sent the wrestling standout down in a heap.

Oliynyk is a savvy veteran, but with only a handful of knockouts on his lengthy resume, few predicted him to take out a man nearly 10 years his junior with one big punch.

“The Boa Constrictor” has been around the sport for a long time. The win over Rosholt was the 50th of his pro career and arguably the most meaningful.

The heavyweight division is the most fluctuant weight class in the UFC. Oliynyk could wash out of the organization with losses in his next two fights, or he could become a title contender within that same timeframe. His “Performance of the Night” winning finish of Rosholt was a good start toward the latter, but only time will determine where he’ll ultimately end up.

Second Star: Paige VanZant

Paige VanZant and Kailin Curran

The women’s strawweight matchup between Paige VanZant (4-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) and Kailin Curran (3-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) resulted in “Fight of the Night” bonuses as the two youngsters went to battle before VanZant capped off things with a third-round TKO win.

It was an action-packed fight from the outset as VanZant and Curran hardly stopped to breathe between striking, clinch and grappling exchanges. VanZant’s superior strength was the difference-maker in all those positions, and she was always one step ahead of her opponent.

At just 20, VanZant has the foundation and all the tools to evolve into a special talent. Her strength and athleticism, paired with a fearless offensive mindset, will be an unpleasant package for any future opponents.

VanZant walked out of the event with a $50,000 bonus, which is undoubtedly a life-changing sum of money at her age. If she continues to deliver fights similar to her octagon debut, plenty more of those bonuses will be coming as her career progresses.

First Star: Frankie Edgar

Frankie Edgar

Frankie Edgar (18-4-1 MMA, 12-4-1 UFC) has a lot of UFC fights, but it’s hard to recall a previous performance as perfect and one-sided as his victory over Cub Swanson (21-6 MMA, 6-2 UFC).

Even in his seven UFC championship fights (four of which he won), Edgar’s never completely shut down and controlled such a highly regarded opponent the way he did against Swanson.

From avoiding power shots on the feet to totally neutralizing Swanson on the ground, the former UFC lightweight champion was on point from the opening bell to the final five seconds of the fifth round when he ultimately locked in a rear-naked choke for the submission win.

Prior to the event, many expected a hard-fought, competitive battle that might end in a controversial decision, as most Edgar fights do. “The Answer” had no interest in that type of contest this time, though.

Edgar’s ultimate goal is to win the featherweight title and join B.J. Penn and Randy Couture as the only fighters in UFC history to win belts in two weight classes. That goal once seemed out of reach, but after reminding the world he’s one of the best to compete under the UFC banner, it seems more realistic than ever.

For more on UFC Fight Night 57, check out the UFC Events section of the site.

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MMAjunkie’s Ben Fowlkes breaks down Saturday’s main event between Frankie Edgar and Cub Swanson:

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