UFC 98: Lower your Expectations or be Disappointed

It is sad fact of life, expectations can determine how much fun or boredom you are going to experience.

Just think about the last movie you saw. If you are pumped to see it, it doesn't matter you are going to enjoy it, but this only holds true if the product is decent. Take X-Men: Last Stand, I was quite excited to see it, then they started killing off characters and ignore the fact that they were dead. High expectations killed that movie.

Take it from the other side. With no expectations what so ever a movie can turn out to be pretty good. When you walk in thinking, 'oh another superhero movie, yawn'. Then that movie turns into Iron Man.

Politicians play the expectation game before every debate or major policy announcement. The political class has it figured out, they are constantly trying to lower expectations. That way when they deliver a policy change, even if it is miniscule and has no effect on the larger picture, it still appears that they are doing a good job. For debates as long as they don't drool on themselves and prove their literate it is seen as a win.

That is why I am imploring the MMA and UFC fan base to collectively lower our expectations to Crank 2 levels. The absolute bare bottom of the barrel. So far down that if we see a fighter successfully enter the Octagon without tripping over their own feet we will think 'hey this isn't so bad' and actually enjoy one of the weaker UFC fight cards.

The same goes for fights. Did anyone have any high expectations going into the TUF 1 Finale? And look what happened, a great three round war that may be the best fight in UFC history. 

So let's just go over the televised bouts one by one and lay out our low expectations. That way when things go well ~crossing fingers~ we will all be pleasantly surprised. 

• Frankie Edgar and Sean Sherk: Prepare for 15 minutes of two grown sweaty men laying on top of each other. Makes me thirsty just thinking about it.
  
• Dan Miller and Chael Sonnen: Why should we lower our expectations for this fight? Because if we pin our hopes on it, then it will suck worse than Wolverine.
  
• Xavier Foupa-Pokam vs. Drew McFedries: Wasn't Professor X cut by the UFC? If he wasn't cut the fact that I am assuming he was cut makes me mad. Aw fuck! Alright, McFedries may have the ability to knock him out but if we start expecting that it will mean Xavier will just lay on him for 15 minutes. Expect the Lay-and-Pray, that way when a clean punch lands it will make you jump out of your seat conveniently onto a nearby attractive girl. Try it, it's how I met my girlfriend.
  
• Matt Hughes vs. Matt Serra: This fight is so 2007. That was before Halo 3 for crying out loud. And really who doesn't keep track of time based upon the release of Halo games. Wrestler vs. Jiu-Jitsu fighter do I hear a Lay-and-Pray? Can I get an Amen?
  
• Rashad Evans vs. Lyoto Machida: While I am actually excited for this fight (I am a dork) that doesn't mean I am not bat shit scarred that there won't be a punch landed till the third round. This fight could make Leites-Silva look like a seven game series that involves the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals.