WWE SummerSlam 2012: Dolph Ziggler Should Not Cash in Title Shot on Marquee Show

Dolph Ziggler has established himself as one of the WWE's most talented rising stars. Even though at first glance, a top-tier pay-per-view like SummerSlam would seem like the ideal time to begin his title reign, having him hold the briefcase for a while longer is a better option.

Ever since Ziggler won his Money in the Bank ladder match to earn a title shot at any point over the next year, he's been feuding with Chris Jericho. A SummerSlam match against one of the most respected names in the business would be perfect for Ziggler.

Jericho has proven during his most recent stint with the company that he has no problem helping other talent get over with the crowd. That would really help Ziggler at this point. He's a favorite among diehard fans, but the mainstream audience hasn't quite joined the bandwagon yet.

A victory over Jericho at SummerSlam would elevate Ziggler to the point where he's ready for an extended World Heavyweight Championship run. The “Show Off” did have one previous stint as the champion—it lasted a matter of minutes until Edge won it back.

His next stay at the top figures to last quite a bit longer, so the circumstances have to be exactly right in order for him to succeed. The current champion, Sheamus, is a perfect example of that, and he's held the belt for more than four months.

Sheamus was being built like a champion long before he beat Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania, though. He entered the Royal Rumble on a winning streak and was basically made to look unstoppable heading into the year's biggest event.

While Ziggler's push doesn't have to reach that level, it definitely needs another boost before he wins the belt. And he should win because it's tough to imagine him losing when he cashes in, given his rise in recent months.

Beating Jericho and then proceeding to gloat about it for a couple weeks—giving him much-needed time on the mic in the process—would be perfect. By the time Night of Champions arrives in September, he'll be ready to use the briefcase.

Cashing in all comes down to timing. If it happens to soon, there won't be enough momentum to lead to a successful championship reign. But waiting too long makes the briefcase lose its luster. As of now, everything has been setting up well for Ziggler.

That would change if he cashes in at SummerSlam, however. It's not the right time yet.