WWE SmackDown: Spoiler-Free Preview for January 15

Daniel Bryan dusts off his wrestling boots and gets back to work on the Jan. 15 edition of WWE SmackDown.

It's been eight months since Bryan last wrestled, thanks to neck surgery and a long rehab. Fans now get two doses of Bryan as SmackDown moves back to its original night.

Damien Mizdow, Bad News Barrett, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins are all in action as well. 

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, already hosted those stars and more on Tuesday. However, the bouts won't air until Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on Syfy. The show's results are easy to find on the Internet.

For those wishing to avoid knowing how things play out between the grapplers, the following is a spoiler-free preview of the matches on tap.

Daniel Bryan vs. Kane

Bryan's first challenge upon returning is to take out the monster who injured him.

Kane has since removed his mask and become an executive. His modus operandi, though, hasn't changed. When Bryan told the world on Monday's Raw that he would win the Royal Rumble, a suit-wearing Kane looked to again crush his head against the ring steps.

Bryan fought him off, and those two now get to continue the brawl they started.

It will be a familiar matchup but also a welcome sight to have Bryan wrestling again. How his style differs post-injury and how he looks physically will be more noteworthy than the battle itself.

The Miz, Damien Mizdow and Alicia Fox vs. Naomi and The Usos

A rematch from the Raw on Jan. 5 pits the last two tag champs against each other again. The last time they collided in a six-man tag match, Naomi inadvertently distracted Jimmy Uso, which led to The Miz pouncing for a surprise pin.

Fox has dominated her part of this rivalry so far. She pinned Naomi on last week's SmackDown and followed that up with a win in a bout on Monday's Raw where Naomi had one arm tied behind her back.

Naomi has, however, looked good in these clashes. Chances are, WWE is setting her up for a push with Fox being her launchpad.

As for Mizdow and The Miz, their alliance is set to splinter.

On Monday's Raw, Mizdow revealed that he has been secretly filming a documentary about The Miz's life. The Miz looked none too happy. Does that tension grow on SmackDown, or will actor and stunt-double be able to focus on their opponents?

Nikki Bella vs. Natalya

Nikki has lately had to collide with two newly formed partners in Natalya and Paige.

That has led to the champ's loss column growing bigger. Paige defeated Nikki on last week's Main Event; Natalya had similar success on last week's Raw.

This is a non-title contest, but it will help clear up the Divas Championship picture.

If Nikki dominates, that could signal her moving on to Paige. If Natalya gets another win, it will look like WWE is heading for a Triple Threat with her and Paige both challenging Nikki. 

Paige's mental instability makes any alliance she forms a tenuous one. It won't take much for her to see Natalya as a foe rather than a friend.

Bad News Barrett vs. Sin Cara (Intercontinental Championship)

Sin Cara can make Barrett's latest IC title reign a mighty short one.

After defeating the champ on last week's SmackDown, Sin Cara suffered a post-match thrashing. The upset win clearly brought out Barrett's most merciless side.

This time, the title is on the line. Sin Cara can earn his first championship on the main roster, adding it to the NXT tag title he currently holds. With as much as WWE has played hot potato with this belt, few fans are going to be surprised if that happens.

The luchador is going to face a more focused and vicious version of Barrett, though. That mauling he handed out last week says as much.

Daniel Bryan, Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns vs. Kane, Seth Rollins and Big Show

A mishmash of feuds creates a six-man tag for SmackDown's main event.

Bryan and Kane keep their animosity going, Reigns will be seeking revenge after Big Show coldcocked him on Monday night and Ambrose's issues with Rollins go back to last summer when Mr. Money in the Bank betrayed The Shield.

With Bryan and Reigns both the two favorites to win the Royal Rumble, keep an eye on who gets more offense and who is more of the star of this match. With just two weeks until the pay-per-view, it's time to provide momentum for the eventual Rumble victor. 

For Rollins, this bout follows an edition of Raw where he laid out both Brock Lesnar and John Cena. Can he leave behind more destruction in his wake on SmackDown?

Bryan's comeback is the biggest story, though. After nearly a year of being Bryan-less, WWE is set to welcome back its rabid pit bull, twice in one night no less.