WWE SummerSlam 2012 Results: Chris Jericho Proves Relevance vs. Dolph Ziggler

Chris Jericho made Dolph Ziggler eat his words.

The first match of the WWE’s highly anticipated 2012 SummerSlam event resulted in Jericho forcing Ziggler to submit. Ziggler talked the talk—and plenty of it—leading up to their showdown, but he failed to walk the walk.

According to WWE.com, he trash-talked Jericho on Raw following his Money in the Bank triumph. Ziggler said:

"

I won my Money in the Bank Match last night. You didn’t win yours. While I'm at it, when was the last time you won anything? No one has been given more main-event opportunities than you. You've been coasting along for so long you've got everybody fooled. You're all hype.

"

Now, while Jericho ultimately proved Ziggler to be dead wrong, the provocateur did have a point.

In just 2012, Jericho lost to CM Punk in Extreme Rules, Wrestlemania XXVIII and the Elimination Chamber; Sheamus in the Royal Rumble; and John Cena in Money in the Bank. That’s simply too many pay-per-view losses in one year to still be considered an elite competitor. But while Ziggler was right about Jericho’s past struggles, he obviously missed the mark when he said, “You’re all hype.”

And if Ziggler thought Jericho received too much hype prior to his victory on Sunday, I guarantee he won’t like what’s in his rival’s future.

If the WWE continued to feature Jericho in PPV matches despite loss after loss, what do you think it’ll do now that he’s won a contest? The corporation will continue to match him up with the biggest names in the sport.

Jericho’s professional-wrestling career has been a rollercoaster ride. While highlights include multiple championships, lowlights include multiple departures, as well as his recent losing streak.

But now that Jericho’s rollercoaster is on the climb once again, expect nothing less than for him to continue to make noise.

David Daniels is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.

Follow @TheRealDDaniels