UFC 126 kicked off an excellent February of MMA, filled with Silva/Belfort, the start of Strikeforce's heavyweight Grand Prix, and the UFC's trip to Australia. Who stood out at 126?
No. 1 star -- Anderson Silva: With the kick heard round the world -- at least, all the way to Brazil -- the middleweight champion cemented his standing as the best ever. This was his 14th win in a row and his eighth title defense. The best part? He is eager to put it all on the line against welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre.
No. 2 star -- Jon Jones: In beating Ryan Bader, Jones outwrestled the wrestler, earning an immediate title shot in the process. Despite the quick turnaround, early betting lines have already suggested that Jones is the favorite to win over Mauricio "Shogun" Rua.
No. 3 star -- Donald Cerrone: Throughout his career in the WEC, Cerrone heard questions about whether he could cut it as a UFC lightweight. Judging by Saturday's performance, the answer is an emphatic yes. He dominated Paul Kelly and finished him off with a violent rear naked choke, not long after finding out that his grandfather had passed away. For that, he won a $75,000 bonus -- a bonus 7.5 times larger than any he had received in the WEC.
Honorable mention -- Miguel Torres: The crowd at the Mandalay Bay didn't appreciate Torres' strategy of picking apart Banuelos from the outside, using a jab to keep Banuelos away, but that crowd must have no appreciation for history. In Torres' losses to Brian Bowles and Joseph Benavidez, he charged inside on short fighters, giving up his reach advantage. In his UFC debut, Torres still used his effective jab, but stuck with a strategy that worked.
Dishonorable mention -- Japanese MMA: It was a rough night for UFC fighters from Japan. Both Michihiro Omigawa and Norifumi Yamamoto lost, and then Yushin Okami learned that if GSP beats Jake Shields, he has to wait on his chance at the middleweight title.
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