“Last night at Capitol Punishment, I not only defeated Rey Mysterio, I also vowed to perform the most honest act in WWE history. Join me on tonight’s Power to the People episode of Monday Night Raw, and witness the genesis of something monumental.”
These were the words posted by CM Punk on Facebook this afternoon. This is why I’m excited to watch tonight’s special 3-hour edition of Monday Night Raw.
Aside from Punk, the rest of tonight’s show promises to showcase talent from both brands in a special “Power to the People” episode. If you’ll recall, last year’s Viewer’s Choice episode (same concept with a different name) was a bit of a circus. It featured a dance competition between Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov, Hornswoggle teaming with Great Khali, and the ever-pointless divas battle royal. That being said, it also saw the birth of Nexus when the NXT Season 1 rookies interrupted a match between John Cena & CM Punk. The pandemonium that followed was one of the best Raw endings in recent memory if for no other reason than the sheer shock value, and in some ways, it made up for the otherwise lackluster show.
One of my biggest problems with these People’s Choice style wrestling shows is that the options available to vote on are usually weighted to ensure a specific outcome is selected – the standard formula is one OK option and two absolutely horrendous ones that nobody with half a mind would vote for. It makes for a predictable show, and it detracts from the illusion of the fans being in control of anything at all.
One positive note I can make in anticipation of tonight’s super-sized extravaganza is the likely inclusion of Zack Ryder. If he’s provided as an option for just about any round of voting, he’ll most assuredly win and get his face on WWE television. After “We Want Ryder” chants permeated Capitol Punishment last night, it would be remiss of the WWE not to at least include him as an option for one of tonight’s matches. They did somehow neglect to use him in Long Island last week, though, so maybe I’m giving them too much credit now.
So what do you think will steal the show tonight? Punk’s monumental genesis? R-Truth’s paranoia reaching a fever pitch after being screwed by Little Jimmy last night? Ryder Woo Woo Wooing all over Raw? Getting to vote between Trent Barreta, David Hart Smith, and Kofi Kingston to determine who gets a United States Championship match? Remember, the power is yours!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tS2aVLkRar0]
