WrestleMania 28 Results: Jericho Taps, What's Next?

At WrestleMania 28, the "Best in the World" clashed. After an amazing match, CM Punk retained his WWE Championship when Chris Jericho submitted to the Anaconda Vise. The last-minute stipulation in which Punk would lose the title if he got disqualified made me think there would be a questionable ending to the match, but we ended up getting a decisive finish.

I agree with the decision of having Punk retain the championship. The build to this match made him come off as a relatively sympathetic babyface, making it enjoyable to see him defeat Chris Jericho. 

However, I can't imagine how, after tapping out, Chris Jericho can contend for the WWE Championship again. Had Jericho been cleanly pinned, it would have been plausible for him to get another shot at the title. But with Punk defeating him so decisively, it is far less plausible for Jericho to challenge Punk again.

So what's next for the two men who claim to be "Best in the World"? Sure, there is always a way to set up a Jericho vs. Punk rematch. For example, Jericho could continue to talk about Punk's family until Punk angrily accepts a rematch.

If they do have a Jericho vs. Punk match at Extreme Rules, Jericho has lost a lot of credibility because he tapped out. If he were to lose that match, it would be predictable. If he were to win clean, it would make CM Punk look weak. The only logical booking move would be to have Jericho win the title in some sort of questionable manner.

As champion, Punk can always move on to the next challenger. If he's not chasing Punk and the WWE Championship, what's next for Chris Jericho?

Thanks for reading. As always, I appreciate any feedback on my writing. Feel free to spark a conversation with me regarding what was discussed in this column by commenting or reaching out to me on Twitter @MikePW247. Also, be sure to tune in to This Very Ring every Sunday night at 11 p.m. ET to listen to myself and Stan Grubb discuss all things pro wrestling.