WWE SummerSlam 2012: Dolph Ziggler Will Not Cash in at Event

This Sunday at SummerSlam, we may end up seeing a new World Heavyweight champion

Current champion Sheamus has been dominant since his victory at WrestleMania, but it was his insistence to SmackDown general manager Booker T to have his match with Alberto Del Rio. Judging by what these two have done to one another in recent weeks, it is anyone's guess as to what will be going on when these two men collide at the second-biggest event of the year.

With that match being built up, there is another contender that has been emerging.

Since winning Money in the Bank last month, every moment of WWE programming that includes a hint of the World Heavyweight champion also includes the questions of Ziggler cashing in that opportunity he earned in what was, until just a few weeks ago, a guarantee for a new champion.

Ziggler has a match with Chris Jericho at SummerSlam, but that has never been a guarantee for not seeing a cash-in take place. Four times in history has a Money in the Bank winner cashed in during a pay-per-view while already having competed earlier that night.

Edge faced Ric Flair at New Year's Revolution in 2006 before cashing in on John Cena. CM Punk took on Umaga at Extreme Rules in 2009 before ending his night by taking the World Heavyweight Championship from Jeff Hardy.

Kane won the Money in the Bank briefcase, only to use it later on that night against Rey Mysterio. Last year's SummerSlam saw Alberto Del Rio compete in a tag team match before becoming WWE champion over a battered CM Punk.

That last example is exactly where these theories pick up steam.

Expect Ziggler and Jericho to compete early in the night, if only to raise the suspicion of a cash-in. The earlier in the night that Ziggler is done wrestling, whether he wins or loses, the predictions of a Ziggler cash-in will grow that much more.

On one side of the coin, it would be hard to expect the same thing to happen two years in a row. On the other hand, things like that happen in WWE all the time. Remember when they made a mention of the Montreal Screwjob one year later at the conclusion of the Deadly Game tournament?

Just because it can happen doesn't mean that it will. All eyes will be on Dolph Ziggler at SummerSlam. If there could be someone dedicated to following Ziggler around backstage, a "Dolph Cam," if you will, people would be willing to watch on. Keep your eyes glued on Ziggler all you like, but he will not be cashing in come SummerSlam.

In fact, here's an educated guess on how Ziggler's night will go.

The match between him and Chris Jericho will lead off SummerSlam. In a fantastic match that goes 10 minutes, Jericho gets a win in "the big one" before a beatdown so that Ziggler can get the last laugh.

Later in the night, Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio are in the middle of a good title match. Sheamus comes back in the end to upend Del Rio and retain. Del Rio beats Sheamus down in frustration, which gets Ziggler and his briefcase ready. As Ziggler slides in the ring and Sheamus is helped to his feet, down comes Randy Orton, who has been left off the card and virtually out of the world title picture for the last few months.

This gives Ziggler a feud with another former world champion in Orton and gives Orton something to do before Wade Barrett returns. It also takes Jericho off the hook from having to appear weekly on RAW.

Jericho is doing shows with his band, Fozzy, who just came out with a new album. Jericho is not leaving for good, but Ziggler is a mainstay on WWE television and shouldn’t be hindered by Jericho having to satisfy tour dates.

Orton is one Wellness Policy failure away from being out of the company entirely. Getting the matches out of Orton while you still can is wise. Orton in a world title match is not punishment. Having to get a younger star over, with the track record of Orton’s, is just that.

Dolph Ziggler will be a world champion before 2012 is complete. It just will not happen at SummerSlam.

Ziggler has a good understanding for the business and all that a cash-in would do is take some headlines away from the triple-threat WWE Championship match and the Brock Lesnar vs. HHH match, which are the two matches WWE is relying upon to sell the entire pay-per-view.

In this world of instant gratification, Ziggler will make the world wait before he can show off his new World Heavyweight Championship.

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