WWE Extreme Rules 2012 Results: Top Chris Jericho Feuds After Loss to CM Punk

After failing in his bid to capture the WWE Championship from CM Punk for a second time at Extreme Rules, it appears as though Chris Jericho will be moving on to other feuds. Punk is going to face Daniel Bryan at Over the Limit, meaning Jericho's quest to prove that he is the best in the world was a failure, but he can still help the company in a big way.

There may be nobody in the company with Jericho's ability to excel in the ring and on the mic, so many are eagerly anticipating his next move. Whether he is competing for title, battling in the midcard or putting over younger wrestlers, Jericho is incredibly entertaining, so the WWE will try to get the most out of him before he leaves to tour with his band, Fozzy.

It looks like Jericho will probably be around for at least a couple more months, so here are three possible feuds that would make sense for Y2J in the meantime.

Randy Orton

The WWE has a way of sweeping history under the rug when it isn't needed, but magically bringing it back to the forefront when it is. That has been the case with Chris Jericho and Randy Orton. Many probably remember that Jericho was punted into obscurity by Orton in 2010, but Jericho hasn't addressed it in the least since he returned. Now would be a good time for Jericho to shift his focus in Orton's direction.

Jericho has absolutely nothing going on at the moment, while Orton is stuck in neutral as he is feuding with Kane. There is a possibility that Orton's rivalry with Kane will continue since they have each scored a pay-per-view win, but nobody would be upset if it were to be cut short. With that in mind, there's no reason not to pit them against each other.

Both Jericho and Orton are excellent in the ring and they would probably put on some of the best matches the company has seen in recent months. The feud could end with Orton going over and that would propel him back into the world title scene and out of midcard oblivion. 

Sheamus

Sheamus is going to have to deal with Alberto Del Rio first, as Del Rio has earned a shot at Sheamus' World Heavyweight Championship, but after that he should be ripe for the picking since Daniel Bryan has refocused on the WWE Championship. Not only would it be a feud that the fans want to see since it has never happened before, but it would work from a storyline perspective because of their encounter at the Royal Rumble.

Sheamus and Jericho were the final two participants in this year's Rumble match and they had what I consider to be the best interaction ever to end a Rumble. The wrestled one-on-one for over five minutes and it was clear from that alone that they could have some good matches together. Sheamus was ultimately victorious, and Jericho could use that as motivation to go after Sheamus.

If Sheamus is going to have a dominant title reign, then he'll need some credible victories. He already has a couple over Bryan, and going over Jericho in a feud would only make him look better. 

Cody Rhodes

This may not make sense on the surface since both Cody Rhodes and Jericho are heels, but a feud between them could be fantastic. Based on the reaction that Rhodes received when he won the Intercontinental Championship over Big Show at Extreme Rules, it stands to reason that he could handle a face turn and do well with it.

Rhodes received far more cheers than Big Show and that was only exacerbated when Big Show slammed him through a table after the match. It felt to me like somewhat of a tease with Big Show potentially turning heel and Rhodes possibly turning face. Rhodes got up under his own power after going through the table and the crowd absolutely loved it.

There is a severe lack of depth when it comes to faces on the roster right now outside of the big four. Because of that, it wouldn't be a bad idea to turn Rhodes and build him toward main-event status. A feud with Jericho would be great for him because it would push him to the limits in terms of his wrestling ability, and he could use a signature win over a guy like Jericho as well.