WWE SmackDown: Spoiler-Free Preview for July 23

On paper, the first post-Battleground episode of WWE SmackDown looks like a thriller of a show.

Some of the company's best in-ring performers are set to square off. Cesaro gets another crack at making a classic, Kevin Owens finds himself opposite a bruiser who hits as hard as he does and Dean Ambrose kicks off the night with a potentially excellent bout.

After a Raw that focused on the increasing bad blood between Undertaker and Brock Lesnar, the rest of the roster owns the spotlight on Thursday's SmackDown.

The Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska, plays host as WWE starts the long process of shaping the SummerSlam card. What's in store for Ambrose, Owens and Cesaro at that marquee event? SmackDown is poised to offer hints to that question on a night loaded with promising matchups.

WWE taped all the action on Tuesday. However, SmackDown won't air on Syfy until Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.

Until then, one can easily find what unfolded via spoilers on the Internet. The following preview is for those fans looking to see what clashes are on tap without prematurely seeing how they end.

Sheamus vs. Dean Ambrose

Don't expect a technical display here. Both men excel at a bar-fight-style match.

As for storyline implications, it's hard to tell what lies ahead for either Sheamus or Ambrose. The Celtic Warrior lost decisively to Randy Orton at Battleground. Does WWE plan to keep that feud going or does he maybe start mixing it up with Ambrose on a regular basis?

Credit: WWE.com

Meanwhile, The Lunatic Fringe has mostly played Roman Reigns' sidekick. He helped protect him from a beating at the hands of the reunited Wyatt Family on Monday's Raw.

Do those monsters come hunting for Ambrose here or is he simply a means to get Sheamus' win-loss record back on track?

Adam Rose vs. Neville

A rare in-ring sighting of Rose leads to an intriguing clash of styles and personalities. The flamboyant meets the fantastic.

Rose enters as the underdog despite being on the main roster for longer than Neville. If he were to defeat the high-flyer, it would be his first win on SmackDown this year.

WWE has made it clear that Rose is a low priority. Other than smooching Rosa Mendes backstage, he has done very little. As for Neville, he appears to be moving toward a full-fledged feud with Stardust.

On last week's SmackDown, Stardust clocked Neville from behind, leaving him in need of an icepack.

Neville could simply be warming up for his odd rival with a test against Rose. Otherwise, fans will be looking out for another sneak attack from Stardust, a sign that this rivalry is indeed moving forward.

Rusev vs. Kevin Owens

In a heel-against-heel battle, two men who have been vying for the United States Championship lately square off.

On Monday's Raw, Owens and Rusev were partners. Miscommunication and a misplaced kick led to tension between the teammates and the former NXT champ walking out of the match. That follows a Triple Threat match from last week's Raw that also involved Cesaro in which the two powerhouses gave each other a hell of a fight.

A win here would propel the victor, perhaps netting them another shot at John Cena.

Either way, there's great potential for a standout performance here judging by what Owens and Rusev did against each other in that buzzing Triple Threat contest—unless WWE decides to focus on the catfight-centric Lana-Summer Rae storyline instead.

Naomi and Sasha Banks vs. The Bella Twins

Fresh off making Paige tap out on Monday's Raw, Banks and the rest of Team B.A.D. have no issue with confidence. Backstage after that bout, Naomi promised to dominate against Nikki and Brie Bella:

The narrative for the last few months has been that the Bellas have been untouchable. Whether by cheating or otherwise, they kept racking up the wins. Suddenly with Banks and her fellow NXT cohorts entering the division, that has changed.

Nikki and Brie will be looking to take back their momentum. Banks and Naomi have a shot to further put their stamp on the division.

Regardless of who gets the spoils of victory, fans can't just expect this to be a throwaway bout anymore. Battleground saw Charlotte, Banks and Brie get ample time to work with. Monday's Raw featured two women's matches, including one rather lengthy tag team bout.

Just as intriguing as what the result will be is whether WWE continues this pattern of more properly showcasing its women.

Cesaro vs. Seth Rollins 

With Lesnar off trading shots with Undertaker and Reigns busy chasing down Wyatt, Rollins is suddenly without a clear threat to his title.

Many a diehard fan would love to see Cesaro climb into contention. It doesn't seem likely given how WWE treats him as existing on a tier below Rollins and company, but The King of Swing did discuss his world title aspirations with Michael Cole in a recent interview:

Is this foreshadowing of where he's headed next? WWE doesn't exactly have everyone on the roster sit down with Cole and talk about being world champ.

In terms of storyline, this is a hugely important match for Cesaro. A win would thrust him into the title picture and suggest that an angle with Rollins is underway.

Pair those stakes with the talent of these two men and their ability to churn out memorable action, and SmackDown's main event looks like must-watch television.