UFC 137 Results: What We Learned from Tyson Griffin vs. Bart Palaszewski

The upsets came early at UFC 137, with UFC newcomer Bart Palaszewski knocking out rising featherweight contender Tyson Griffin.

Here's what we learned about the impressive performance from Palaszewski.

What we'll remember about this fight

Coming into this bout, Griffin was considered by many as a legitimate threat to UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo.

He was tentative in the standup exchanges and struggled to find his range against the lengthier Palaszewski, who hurt Griffin with a left hook in the first round and finished with a barrage of punches.

It seems like Griffin is still reeling from his August 2010 knockout loss to Takanori Gomi. Before that fight, Griffin was known to have one of the sturdiest chins in the sport. After that loss, we've seen a much more cautious Griffin.

What we learned about Bart Palaszewski

Many people weren't giving Palaszewski a chance against Griffin, who was considered one of the featherweight division's elite.

Palaszewski is a large featherweight with knockout power in both hands. He could be a dark horse in the 145-pound division. He is a wily veteran with plethora of experience against upper-echelon opposition.

People tend to forget about his December 2009 split decision win over former WEC lightweight champion Anthony "Showtime" Pettis.

What we learned about Tyson Griffin

Tyson Griffin is in a bad place right now. Once considered a potential lightweight contender, he is now 3-4 in his last seven fights.

It's hard to pinpoint exactly what's going on with Griffin. He has the talent to compete with the best lightweights or featherweights in the world, but he struggles to show up consistently against quality opposition.

What's next for Bart Palaszewski?

Palaszewski can only go up from here. This win puts him in the top-10 featherweight rankings, and he should keep the ball rolling with a fight against another ranked opponent. Diego Nunes, Mark Hominick and Dustin Poirier stand out as potential opponents.

What's next for Tyson Griffin?

Tyson Griffin may need to take some time away and gather himself. He needs to get back to his wrestling and continue to shore up offensive and defensive woes in the striking department. The UFC could opt to match him against Dustin Poirier, Erik Koch or Josh Grispi.