WWE SmackDown: Spoiler-Free Preview for April 30

A week packed with action wraps up with the April 30 of WWE SmackDown.

Following Extreme Rules and the unexpected return of King of the Ring, WWE offers fans a Tag Team Championship rematch, a battle of powerhouses and a meeting of midcarders. The former members of The Shield take prominent spots on the show as Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose and shifty world champion Seth Rollins all seek victories.

The iWireless Center in Moline, Illinois, hosted all the melees and mayhem on Tuesday night.

SmackDown, though, won't air until Thursday at 8 p.m. ET. Spoilers are easy to find on the Internet. For those who have managed to avoid them thus far, the following is a results-free look at all the matches lined up for the April's last SmackDown. 

Roman Reigns vs. Kane

The Director of Operations remains front and center in the story surrounding the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

Thanks to a fan vote on Monday's Raw, Reigns will battle Seth Rollins and Randy Orton in a Triple Threat match at Payback. Kane will figure into that bout somehow, just as he did in Rollins' win inside the cage on Sunday.

Kane's relationship with The Authority, specifically Rollins, is strained. He has grown tired of Rollins' entitlement. That's the subplot to look out for here and at Payback. Can Kane and Rollins repair their alliance or are we witnessing a babyface turn from the big man?

Reigns enters as the favorite on Thursday's SmackDown, having dispatched of Kane several times in the past. He looks to add to the momentum he created by blasting Big Show at Extreme Rules. 

Rollins and J&J Security loom, however.

Curtis Axel vs. Damien Sandow

Following a confrontation seemingly plucked out of a middle school playground, Sandow mimicked Axel on Monday's Raw until he lost his cool. 

Sandow is no longer borrowing The Miz's look or move set. He's now playing a stripped-down version of his character. 

He hasn't let go of his mirroring shtick, though.

Instead, he has turned it into a sillier bit, one that led to a fight on Monday. That squabble now leads to an actual match. Both men are in need of a victory as losses have been commonplace for them both in 2015.

Just who is the new Sandow? And is he going to get any sort of push now that he's freed from The Miz's control? Those are the biggest questions heading into this clash.

Ryback vs. Luke Harper

Harper emerged from Extreme Rules with bruises on both his ego and his flesh. He lost a Chicago Street Fight to Dean Ambrose, one that saw the rivals battle inside a car and then somewhere unseen on the streets of Chi-town.

Ryback's Monday ended with him suffering a beatdown in the dark at the hands of Bray Wyatt.

Both men will be plenty enraged when they step into the ring. There will be a lot of frustration to get out of their systems.

In recent weeks, Harper has struggled to gain victories. He lost to Neville in the first round of the King of the Ring tournament, fell to Ambrose on Sunday and when he met Ryback in early April, ended the bout on his back. The bruiser looks to reverse that trend; The Big Guy looks to continue his recent roll.

The New Day vs. Cesaro and Tyson Kidd (Tag Team Championship)

A surprise win at Extreme Rules netted Kofi Kingston and Big E the tag team titles. WWE is clearly moving forward with elevating this squad despite them not connecting with the crowd.

The New Day has turned the audience's rejection of them into fuel for a heel turn. 

It's not yet clear if Cesaro and Kidd are the babyfaces in this scenario, then, but we do know they are already invoking their rematch clause. With Natalya at their side, the former champs look to regain the championships.

Both teams are likely to use underhanded methods. The bout should be fast-paced and fun going by the last few meetings these squads have had.

Nikki Bella vs. Cameron

Nikki gets a break from dealing with Naomi and faces a less formidable foe in Cameron. WWE has seemingly made the move to have Nikki and her sister be more sympathetic characters once again. Whether they continue to slide toward babyface status is something to watch here.

As for the in-ring action, expectations will be low. Cameron is among the least compelling performers on the roster.

A win for Nikki gets her ready for her next challenge, likely against Naomi again at some point. Victory for Cameron would thrust her into discussion for a future title shot of her own.

Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose

The snake meets the madman in a battle of bitter rivals. Fans will flash back to Ambrose and Rollins' wild feud last year when they collide to conclude Thursday's SmackDown.

This time around, Rollins is world champ while Ambrose is trying to make his way to the main event scene. The Lunatic Fringe took a step in that direction by pinning Harper on a sea of steel chairs at Extreme Rules.

Credit: WWE.com

With the bearded brute out of his way, Ambrose is in need of another rival. Does he worm his way into the already crowded title picture? Defeating Rollins would help him do that.

Rollins has made so many enemies, there is no telling who might be prowling around the ring during the action. Everyone from Orton to Kane could be looking to take his head off. He has to do his best, though, to focus on Ambrose.

Fans will have no issues staying glued to this one. The former brothers-in-arms have an electric chemistry and have put together an impressive collection of great matches with each other. Thursday night promises to add one more.