WWE Capitol Punishment: 5 Reasons Alex Riley Can Beat His Old Boss The Miz

WWE's newest pay-per-view kicks off from Washington D.C. this Sunday, and although the card may not be as stacked as some may like, there is definitely one match that has caught the attention of many.  The former WWE Champion, The Miz versus his former NXT rookie, Alex Riley.

This match has been nearly a year in the making.  Ever since the two paired up after the second season of NXT, many thought that it might eventually lead to a breakup that would push Alex Riley into a singles career.  What many probably didn't think was that Alex Riley would make such an impact so quickly.

Already on the verge of the main event scene, Alex Riley has the chance to really make an impact when he goes toe-to-toe with his former mentor.  If things go well for Riley, he could see a WWE Championship in his future, and if he pulls out the victory, it could come even sooner.

But how could Alex Riley overcome the odds and defeat the former WWE Champion?  Here are five ways that the match could possibly go and the reasons why Alex Riley can defeat his old boss.

1: Riley Knows How The Miz Works

Alex Riley has been around The Miz for over a year now, so he definitely knows the ins and outs of The Miz's strategies and game plans.

As far as the story goes, Alex Riley learned almost everything he has used to gain his success from The Miz.  As The Miz's rookie during the second season of NXT, Riley had the ability to learn from one of the best heels in the business.  During his time as The Miz's protege, The Miz went from United States Champion to Money in the Bank winner to finally the WWE Champion.  Riley saw firsthand how to effectively seize opportunities that are presented, and there is no reason he can't do the same this Sunday.

Though he is entering the match as a face, I wouldn't be surprised to see Alex Riley use an underhanded tactic or two to defeat The Miz.  In this day of WWE, the good guys can cheat, as long as they do so to defeat a heel who is an even bigger cheater.  With this in mind, it wouldn't seem out of the ordinary for Riley to use his briefcase or another weapon on The Miz if the referee wasn't looking.  Riley could also find a way to turn The Miz's weapon (if he chooses to use one) against him.

One way or another, I don't see this match ending with a clear-cut winner.  Expect something to go down where they will continue their feud into Money in the Bank.

2: Riley Could Win by Disqualification

As I said in the last slide, The Miz is not one to shy away from using every opportunity that he has in order to win a match.  With that said, it leaves him open to potentially be disqualified.

We have seen The Miz's plans backfire before, when The Miz attacked John Cena with the WWE Championship, only to have Riley raise his hand in victory, exposing the weapon and causing the referee to reverse his decision.

The referee situation is shaky in WWE.  Sometimes, they are quick to reverse decisions, other times they remain completely oblivious even when the evidence is staring them square in the face.  However, lately we have seen many match decisions reversed, especially with the omniscient Anonymous Raw General Manager watching.  If The Miz decides to illegally attack Riley on Sunday, I expect him to get caught.

3: John Cena (or Another Face) Could Get Involved

It's no secret that The Mix is hated by every face in WWE, so it wouldn't surprise me to see one of them come to the aid of Alex Riley this Sunday.

With his decision to attack The Miz as opposed to John Cena and his favorable three-count for Roddy Piper, Alex Riley has begun to make friends with the faces.  Though you don't always need the help, sometimes it is nice to know that it is there.

Even if it is not an actual interference, someone could make an appearance at ringside during the match between Riley and The Miz and distract The Miz long enough for Riley to get a roll-up or other quick pinfall. 

Again, it's not looked down upon in WWE if a good guy cheats or has help to defeat a bad guy.  We've seen it several times with John Cena, who has cheated and used speacial guest referees to help him defeat his opponents.  Don't be suprised if it happens this Sunday with Riley.

4: Riley Has the Crowd behind Him

To say that the younger WWE fans hate The Miz would be an understatement.  The fact that he is so disliked by the majority has no doubt helped Alex Riley in the fan-favorite department.  But Riley has also received support from the older generation of fans as well, making him one of the more overall liked superstars in WWE.

What helped set Riley apart was his fresh face turn.  In today's WWE, heel and face turns are rare at best, and when they do occur, they tend to happen over a long period of time.  Aside from R-Truth's recent heel turn, Alex Riley's face turn was the most shocking change WWE has seen in a while.

With the crowd behind him, WWE has every reason to keep pushing Riley farther.  A loss might put a halt on his current popularity growth.  With the potential future of WWE in their hands, WWE might use Capital Punishment as the launching point for Riley's career.

5: Riley Has the Momentum

Ever since Alex Riley turned on The Miz, he has held the upper hand in the battle.

After Riley was slapped by The Miz a few weeks ago on Raw, transforming him into a fan favorite, he has given The Miz several beatdowns and has remained the dominant superstar thus far.  First, Riley beat the crap out of The Miz on the night he was fired by his former mentor.  The next week he fended off an attack by The Miz after he refused to apologize for his actions the week before.

In actual matches, Riley and Cena defeated the team of The Miz and R-Truth (though the result was eventually overturned) and helped Roddy Piper gain a victory over The Miz by making a fast three-count.  Each time he has been the one to get the last laugh, never letting The Miz gain the upper hand to end the night.

Will this Sunday yield the same results?  Sound off in the comments below and let me know what you think.