Can Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez Crush WWE Fans' Low Expectations?

If there is one WWE Superstar capable of slamming through fan expectations no matter how low or high, it's Brock Lesnar.

This time, the expectations are incredibly low going into Crown Jewel on October 31, as Lesnar gets ready to take on Cain Velasquez in Saudi Arabia. But just remember: Lesnar is the top dog for a reason.

Lesnar is partly to blame for the low expectations this time through sheer fan backlash to the way he took the title from Kofi Kingston, predictably coming over to SmackDown right as it switched to Fox and claiming top status once more. But Velasquez is partially to blame, too. This is largely because of his inexperience (at least in the minds of many WWE fans), the fact he was immediately slingshotted into the main-event scene and the ho-hum debut where he honestly didn't come off looking that great.

But this is Lesnar. The Kofi squash might have squandered plenty of goodwill he had earned over the years, but fans would be wise to remember some of his classics as of late. Even when it has been obvious he's still retaining, Lesnar has put on some unforgettable performances with guys like Finn Balor, AJ Styles and Daniel Bryan. Each one, among others, told notable stories and sold the idea he could lose quite well.

And don't forget about the series of matches with Goldberg. The lowest of the low expectations chased those two into their matches, yet the UFC-fight feel to them—big-hitting action with the matches ending quickly—went down as pleasant surprises. They just had a heavyweight feel to them, and they look pretty good in hindsight.

So goes some of the blueprint here for Crown Jewel. If the two want to have a short, violent bout calling back to their UFC days, it’s already shown it can work at least once. Since WWE felt like it couldn't not do this feud right away, it would sure beat the tar out of the match overstaying its welcome and making both guys look bad.

Fans would be wise not to discredit Velasquez in the ring as a wrestling Superstar either. He's low-key put on some interesting performances with AAA. He's been training with WWE Superstars and went all-in on wrestling, even declaring his UFC career over. Provided this isn't a UFC "retirement" like Lesnar has had a few times now, it's fair to view Velasquez as fully invested in doing whatever it takes to make this work—rest assured he hears the noise surrounding this match, too.

There is a reality where this match is a dud, sure. Remember Lesnar against the man formerly known as Dean Ambrose at WrestleMania a few years back? But by and large, Lesnar has been money regardless of opponent and those bouts all felt like they deserved to have a title at stake.

It's the same deal here, as Lesnar is sure to keep it entertaining. And luckily for both Superstars, the rest of the card isn’t all that exciting, especially as WWE tries to salvage the botched Seth Rollins-The Fiend feud. On what is normally a throwaway card with results that don’t always impact normal WWE programming, there is wiggle room for what looks like a drab match to actually steal the show.

Maybe the end result here doesn’t get fans excited for an extension of this feud, which is likely only beginning. But Lesnar and Velasquez have an opportunity with this match to make a statement by capitalizing on the low expectations.