WWE SmackDown: Spoiler-Free Preview for April 9

Daniel Bryan's name is on the marquee once again for the latest edition of WWE SmackDown.

As WWE continues to shine a spotlight on the Intercontinental Championship, Bryan has found himself closing the show several times now. Inside the American Airlines Arena in Dallas, he takes part in a six-man tag featuring four former world champions.

The show promises to provide some hints as to what to expect at Extreme Rules.

As of now, Bryan vs. Bad News Barrett is one of the few bouts on the card. Roman Reigns, Bray Wyatt and the tag team champs are all in action on Thursday's SmackDown. Who they tangle with and how those stories play out may let fans in on who they will face at the upcoming pay-per-view.

The action was all taped on Tuesday. It won't air on Syfy, however, until Thursday night at 8 ET.

Until then, the following preview offers a look at all the matches on tap without any pesky spoilers.

Tyson Kidd and Cesaro vs. The New Day

The No. 1 contender spot for the Tag Team Championship remains unfilled. The Usos have stepped aside, largely due to Jey Uso's shoulder injury.

Does The New Day step up in their place? A non-title win certainly helps them do just that. Kofi Kingston and Big E can move into title contention or else be cast aside by Kidd and Cesaro.

The Prime Time Players have mocked The New Day recently. Fans will be wondering if that leads to anything.

The most notable narrative surrounding Kingston and company, though, is their apparent shift into heel territory. Playing off recent "New Day sucks!" chants, the trio has become more aggressive. Kingston even landed a cheap shot on an opponent on Monday's Raw.

A heel turn may very well be in progress.

Curtis Axel vs. Neville

A newcomer to the main roster looks to continue an impressive first stretch of his rookie year.

Neville delivered a good match against Seth Rollins on Monday's Raw. He gets a chance to follow that with another good outing and perhaps begin a winning streak.

Credit: WWE.com

Axel has been on the losing end for the majority of his 2015 matches. Either that continues and Neville gets a boost from the result or AxelMania starts running wild as the third-generation star has promised it would for so long.

How seriously WWE wants to take Neville and whether Axel is destined for comic relief are two of the subplots to watch here.

Alicia Fox vs. Natalya

Like the tag team title picture, the hunt for the Divas Championship is wide open. Nikki Bella's feud with Paige appears to be winding down. AJ Lee retired from in-ring action over the weekend.

Kane is putting on a Divas Battle Royal on Monday's Raw to crown a new top contender.

Until then, Fox and Natalya go to battle in search of momentum. A dominant win by either woman makes them one of the favorites in the clash on Monday night.

Fans haven't seen Fox much as of late. Hopefully, this appearance is a sign of her reemerging as a key part of the division. Natalya has looked excellent as a heel, providing quality ring work and exuding a sinister aura.

Given a decent amount of time, this match has potential to be a good one.

Bray Wyatt vs. Erick Rowan

Wyatt faces his former protege once more.

The Eater of Worlds has dominated each time these two have faced off. WWE has treated Rowan like a bottom feeder and Wyatt as a upper midcarder. Fans will be putting their money on Wyatt here.

What will be on the audience's mind, though, is what lies ahead for Wyatt. He talked of a new prey in his sights on Monday's Raw, issuing a veiled threat to someone just as he did to Undertaker before WrestleMania.

Who is Wyatt targeting? Can Rowan catch a break? That's what fans will be wondering heading into this one.

Bad News Barrett, Sheamus and Big Show vs. Daniel Bryan, Roman Reigns and Dolph Ziggler

Rivalries merge into a single contest in a main event that has the potential to answer some key questions about Extreme Rules.

Barrett is already set to take on Bryan, but will Sheamus and Ziggler get added to the mix? Their stories have intertwined so far, so it makes sense that they could move into the IC title picture. That's especially true if Sheamus scores a pin over the champ.

Sheamus has also called out Ziggler, saying he wants to crush him and all the underdogs on the roster. This bout will show fans whether that is leading anywhere.

As for Big Show and Reigns, those two have collided a lot over the past few months. The more they interact here and the more intense things get between them, the likelier it is that their rivalry is not yet done.

This intriguing mix of bruisers, showmen and a giant certainly looks good on paper. After a Raw with a number of in-ring duds, Thursday's SmackDown offers some bouts that could make up for that.