WWE SmackDown Spoilers: Complete Results and Analysis for January 9, 2015

On the heels of The Authority's firing of Dolph Ziggler, Ryback and Erick Rowan, WWE rolled into Laredo, Texas, for this week's SmackDown tapings.

The absence of the prominent midcard stars opened up numerous opportunities for other stars to gain some television time and, maybe, put themselves in title contention.

Seth Rollins, Jamie Noble, Joey Mercury and The Big Show were understandably in a celebratory mood but an old friend reared his head in the form of Roman Reigns, perhaps setting himself on a collision course with The Authority in the process.

But would he do so alone or would he be joined by a like-minded individual, someone unafraid of drawing the ire of the most powerful couple in sports entertainment?

Fans in attendance found out Tuesday night and now, thanks to our friends at WrestlingInc.com, you can too.

Venue

Laredo Energy Arena

Commentary Team

Michael Cole, Tom Phillips and John Bradshaw Layfield

Results

• Seth Rollins, Jamie Noble and Joey Mercury kicked off the show with an in-ring promo. Roman Reigns interrupted but Big Show made his presence felt. A big tag team main event pitting Rollins and Big Show against Reigns and a partner of his choosing was booked.
• Big E pinned Adam Rose.
• The Ascension defeated two local competitors.
• Alicia Fox defeated Naomi with her feet on the ropes.
• WWE Tag Team champions The Usos defeated Gold & Stardust and The Miz & Damien Mizdow in a Tripe Threat match.
• Sin Cara defeated WWE Intercontinental champion Bad News Barrett in a non-title match. Barrett used the Bull Hammer to lay out Sin Cara after the match.
• Rollins and Big Show came out for the main event, followed by Reigns. No one joined him at first but soon, Dean Ambrose's music played and two-thirds of The Shield reunited.
• Reigns and Ambrose defeated Rollins and Big Show when Reigns pinned Rollins.

Credit: WWE.com

Analysis

Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose reuniting to battle The Authority could make for some compelling television. 

Last summer, in the wake of The Shield's breakup, Reigns enjoyed a huge push to main event status while Ambrose broke away and feuded with Seth Rollins. For whatever reason, WWE Creative failed to really push Reigns and Ambrose as a united force against the oppressive Authority.

Now, that appears to be a possibility, if the company can build upon the foundation it seemingly sets Friday night.

John Cena alone cannot successfully wage war with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon but with two of the brightest young stars in WWE coming together, as they did when they dominated the industry from 2012 until 2014, and fighting alongside him would even the sides up and create and unstoppable force to battle The Authority immovable object.

Of interest further down the card is the sudden and unexpected victory by Sin Cara over new intercontinental champion Bad News Barrett. The masked luchador has been a major part of NXT programming over the last six months but has been a non-factor on Raw and SmackDown.

While it seems unlikely that he would suddenly find himself in contention to Barrett's title, stranger things have happened. All of you Sin Cara fans resist the urge to recruit for the bandwagon, though, because the Mexican Superstar will not be wrestling the title away from the double-tough Brit anytime soon.

The Triple Threat WWE Tag Team Championship match is likely to be very good given the quality of the teams involved, even if none of them are what one could call fresh.

Friday's show may not be newsworthy but it could prove to be the first night of a new storyline direction that could bring old friends together and provide The Authority with opposition it cannot simply fire and expect to go away.