WWE SmackDown: Spoiler-Free Preview for May 14

On the May 14 edition of WWE SmackDown, there's one last chance for pre-Payback victories and the company to hype the pay-per-view.

Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns are all looking to roll into the Fatal 4-Way match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship with some momentum. They'll all face imposing opponents on Thursday's SmackDown before they collide at Payback.

With the short build between pay-per-views, WWE has struggled to create buzz for Sunday's show. It will get a crack at changing that with the drama set to unfold on SmackDown.

WWE taped all the action on Tuesday in Evansville, Indiana. SmackDown, though, won't air until Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on Syfy. A spoiler-free preview of all the matches to expect gets fans ready for the go-home show.

Sheamus vs. Dean Ambrose

Each man has a big match on tap. Each man can't afford to lose.

Ambrose and Sheamus, who once fought over the United States Championship, meet in search of pre-Payback momentum. The Lunatic Fringe has the Fatal 4-Way ahead, while Sheamus is looking to warm up before facing Dolph Ziggler.

This bout is difficult to predict. WWE has showcased Ambrose quite a bit recently, having him be the last man standing in recent scrums. Sheamus, though, has been portrayed as a formidable force.

Something has to give on Thursday's SmackDown when bruiser meets unhinged brawler.

Seth Rollins vs. Ryback

Before facing three hungry challengers in Payback's main event, the WWE champ has to tangle with The Big Guy.

Ryback has his own daunting match to get ready for. He is set to face Bray Wyatt at the pay-per-view.

The babyface is at a distinct disadvantage here. Not only does he have to worry about J&J Security landing cheap shots, but he also has to keep his eyes open for an attack from Wyatt.

Credit: WWE.com

Rollins and Ryback's battle of power versus speed looks to be one of the better offerings of the night. The world champion has had an impressive year in the ring thus far. Can he add another highlight here?

Kofi Kingston vs. Tyson Kidd

The tag champs and their challengers at Payback each send a representative to the ring, just as they did Monday night.

Kingston will hope to do better than his partner did on Raw, though. Big E fell to Cesaro in singles action.

Athleticism will be in surplus here with Kingston and Kidd going at it. On paper, it's an electric matchup waiting to happen. How much time the two rivals get and how much interference goes on will determine just how good this actually is.

It's a preview of the 2-out-of-3 Falls match set for Sunday. 

Should Kidd get the victory, the story of that upcoming title match will be how The New Day lacks momentum against the men it dethroned last month. A Kingston win would have things looking more even en route to Payback.

Neville vs. Bo Dallas

A feud that once headlined NXT events gets revived for one night. These former NXT champs collided many times at Full Sail University.

This time, their positions on the card are different. Dallas is a low-rung star, struggling to get consistent screen time. Neville is WWE's hottest new commodity thanks largely to a string of thrilling performances.

That includes an excellent display in a United States Championship match against John Cena on Monday's Raw, nearly pulling off the win.

Neville can keep that roll going with a quality match here. Standout clash or not, this offers The Man Who Gravity Forgot a chance to get another victory on his record before facing Bad News Barrett at Payback.

A Dallas win would feel like an upset. He may have some extra help in achieving that, though. Barrett is sure to be lurking, his Bull Hammer at the ready.

Kane vs. Roman Reigns (Winner by Pinfall or Submission Only)

Reigns seeks to once again take down The Authority's corporate goon.

He and The Director of Operations collided on Monday's Raw in a match that never got started. Instead, the two rivals brawled outside the ring and atop the announce table.

This time around, there will be few rules to restrict them. Reigns and Kane can beat the hell out of each other with any number of weapons and/or rely on interference to get a win.

The match serves as Reigns' final test before Payback. A dominant win here would have him entering the WWE title bout aided by momentum. A loss would see him stumbling into that battle.

Can Reigns outdo what Rollins and Ambrose achieve on Thursday's SmackDown? Can WWE get fans more pumped for the upcoming Fatal 4-Way match with this go-home show?

Those are the questions Evansville fans already know and the rest of us are waiting to have answered.