UFC 153′s Three Stars: Anderson Silva, Jon Fitch and Demian Maia

Despite being ravaged by injuries, UFC 153 turned out to be the one year's best cards. Who really stood out?

No. 1 star -- Anderson Silva: Granted, Silva's opponent wasn't among the best in MMA, but Silva still showed just how dominant he is by moving up a weight class and still disposing of Stephan Bonnar in the first round. Bonnar tweeted that Silva's knee to the chest paralyzed him and he couldn't fight back. That sort of accurate and imaginative striking is a generation ahead.

No. 2 star -- Jon Fitch: Who are you calling boring? Fitch broke down Brazilian phenom Erick Silva with never-ending, dominating ground and pound. Fitch's last two fights were a draw and a knockout loss, so he needed this bout to remind fans that he is still one of the best welterweights around.

No. 3 star -- Demian Maia: On a night filled with brilliant submissions, Maia was the best. Why? Because he choked Rick Story and cranked his neck so hard that blood came gushing out of his nose. Though blood is a common sight in the Octagon, it usually is incidental to striking, not submissions. Maia creatively brought blood to the cage, and showed that welterweight is the right class for him.

Who are stood out for you? Speak your mind in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.