WWE Smackdown Preview: SPOILER-FREE Preview of This Week's Episode (May 11)

I often compare wrestling to a movie or a novel: It can still be good even if you know what’s going to happen. 

That’s one of the main reasons why—while it could be fun to avoid them for a change—I generally don’t mind reading the spoilers for Friday Night SmackDown. 

But I know that many WWE fans want to avoid the blue brand’s spoilers at all costs, yet they still want to have a general sense of what’s going to happen. 

Well, guess what? You’re in the right place. 

Here is a SPOILER-FREE preview of this week’s episode of Friday Night SmackDown (May 11):

Note: Even though I won’t reveal any match or segment results, you may notice that things that happen early in the show set up things that will happen later. If you don’t want to have ANY idea of what’s going to happen, STOP reading. 

Sheamus and Randy Orton vs. Chris Jericho and Alberto Del Rio 

In a rematch of the great tag team bout we saw on Mondar’s Raw, four of the WWE’s top stars collide in the opening match on SmackDown. 

What will happen when Sheamus is in the ring with the three men who will challenge him for the World Heavyweight Championship at Over the Limit? 

AJ vs. Kaitlyn 

AJ has slapped her friend, Kaitlyn, in a fit of rage on the last two episodes of SmackDown, all but ending their friendship in the process. 

It’ll be interesting to see what happens when Kaitlyn finally gets her hands on a friend whom she feels has betrayed her. 

Daniel Bryan vs. Big Show 

Old rivals face off again as Show looks to take out his aggressions from his failed attempt to regain the Intercontinental title on Monday’s Raw, while Bryan hopes to build up some momentum as we head to Over the Limit. 

Ryback vs. Heath Slater 

Ryback has easily destroyed every opponent he’s faced since returning roughly five weeks ago. 

Is Slater next? 

Antonio Cesaro vs. Alex Riley 

This will only be Cesaro’s second match since debuting on SmackDown a few weeks back. 

He disposed of Tyson Kidd in his first match rather quickly and will be looking to do the same against the infrequently seen Riley. 

Randy Orton vs. Alberto Del Rio 

For the first time ever, Orton takes on Del Rio in singles action. 

With both men looking to become the next World Heavyweight Champion, a win here would help them build up a ton of momentum as we draw closer to the Over the Limit pay-per-view. 

R-Truth (with Kofi Kingston) vs. Jack Swagger (with Dolph Ziggler) 

Ziggler was able to defeat Kingston in singles action on Monday’s Raw, so Truth will definitely be looking for some revenge against the other member of Vickie Guerrero’s stable, Jack Swagger. 

Titus O’Neil and Darren Young (The Primetime Players) vs. Santino Marella and Zack Ryder 

Two of Raw’s most popular stars make the jump to SmackDown to take on the blue brand’s newest tag team. 

The Primetime Players are 2-0 since moving to Friday nights, but will Ryder and Santino be able to end their hot start? 

Damien Sandow Interview 

Matt Striker interviews SmackDown’s newest superstar after he refused to compete on last week’s show. 

What will the eloquent Sandow have to say to the WWE Universe? 

Brodus Clay vs. Hunico 

“The Funkasaurus” gets another SmackDown match, his second against Hunico. 

I’m sure Hunico is hoping that things turn out better this time around. 

Sheamus vs. Chris Jericho 

In just their second singles match ever, the final two competitors in the Royal Rumble (and Over the Limit opponents), Sheamus and Jericho, meet in SmackDown’s main event. 

After Y2J pinned Sheamus on Monday’s Raw, the Great White looks to rebound with a victory of his own.

Drake Oz is the WWE Lead Writer for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter and ask him any wrestling-related questions (to be answered in the B/R Mailbag) on Formspring.