WWE SmackDown: Potential Spoilers, Rumors, News and Preview for Sept. 20

The Miz's Never-Ending Intercontinental Championship World Tour will travel to the Sept. 20 edition of WWE SmackDown, where a familiar challenge awaits.

Dolph Ziggler will take on The Hollywood A-Lister in a rematch from Backlash. The champ has been demanding to be showcased, and he will get his wish against The Showoff in what promises to be a strong bout.

And as WWE slowly makes its way to the No Mercy pay-per-view on Oct. 9, a number of rivalries promise to grow more intense Tuesday night in Birmingham, Alabama.

John Cena is set to square off against Dean Ambrose ahead of their No Mercy meeting with WWE world champion AJ Styles. Alexa Bliss is sure to collide with women's champion Becky Lynch. Randy Orton's issues with Bray Wyatt are certain to escalate.

Backstage reports offer a peek at some potential returns. The SmackDown preview on WWE.com and current storyline arcs provide a look forward at what to expect when Tuesday's show kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on the USA Network.

News, Potential Spoilers

The Orton vs. Wyatt rivalry should grow more violent. Orton appears to be over his recent reported health issues.

The Viper competed over the weekend after a stretch of inactivity.

About a house show Saturday, Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com wrote: "Orton returned to the ring tonight against Bray Wyatt, working a complete singles match in Springfield, Missouri. The match was described to me as Orton working and bumping but in a smart, conservative style."

A free agent who has recovered from an injury of her own may be ready to emerge as well.

"We are told that Emma, who has been out of action with a back injury, is slated to be on the road this coming week for WWE, so she will be returning shortly," Johnson reported. Emma underwent back surgery in May to repair a ruptured disc.

Emma noted on Twitter that she has been cleared for weeks:

She is not a member of either the SmackDown or Raw roster, so it's not clear where she's headed when she does come back.

The same goes for Luke Harper. The former Wyatt Family member tore up his knee before WrestleMania. He could also be back soon.

Dave Meltzer of Figure Four Online reported Harper was among many stars backstage at Monday's Raw. He noted that "Harper is just about ready to return, if not ready right now."

SmackDown Streaks

Heath Slater is on the roll of his life.

The perennial doormat continues to rack up wins. Last Tuesday, he and Rhyno knocked off The Ascension to retain the tag team titles.

Per CageMatch.net, that marked his fourth victory on SmackDown in a row. Slater is 5-0 overall since Aug. 16.

The fairy tale is likely to end soon, but it's been fun to see an underdog make good.

Natalya, on the other hand, has dropped in the company hierarchy. Fresher faces are acquiring momentum at her expense.

Not counting tag team matches, Natalya is 0-4 in her last four SmackDown contests, per CageMatch.net. She hasn't won a singles bout on the show since the brand split.

WWE can only push so many wrestlers at a time, though. Carmella and others are getting that treatment, while the veteran Natalya has been asked to play stepping stone for her peers.

Moving Toward No Mercy

Tension between The Miz and SmackDown general manager Daniel Bryan has become a major subplot for the blue brand.

The intercontinental champ believes Bryan is out to get him. The Miz has also demanded a new deal.

Conflict over that contract played out over social media for the last few days, but the SmackDown preview on WWE noted The Miz and Bryan have come to a deal: "The two parties had finally reached an agreement, with both rumored to be considering it a win for their respective camps."

With The Miz now signed, Bryan wasted little time in putting him to work. The GM booked him to defend the Intercontinental Championship against Ziggler on Tuesday night, per the WWE.com preview.

Bliss has a title match on her mind, too.

She became the No. 1 contender to the SmackDown Women's Championship by outlasting four other Superstars. She is now set to take on Lynch at No Mercy.

Tuesday's show is certain to play up the animosity between those two. WWE has to further establish who Bliss is and present her as a believable threat to Lynch.

And will we finally see Curt Hawkins officially join SmackDown?

His debut last week consisted only of a taped promo. The returning wrestler has to get in the ring eventually.

Fans will be on the lookout as to where he is slotted. Jinder Mahal went to Raw only to become fodder for others. Whether Hawkins plays that kind of role or gets a push of some kind remains to be seen.

In SmackDown's main event, Cena will take on Ambrose.

The two partnered in a win last week, but The Lunatic Fringe attacked Cena after the bell. The powerhouse will have payback on his mind when they meet Tuesday night.

And the man they will both challenge for the WWE world title at No Mercy is poised to make an impact on the proceedings. The SmackDown preview hinted at that possibility when it asked, "Will WWE world champion AJ Styles be on hand to assert his own momentum en route to their No Mercy free-for-all?"

That kind of chaos is a near certainty. The purpose of the Ambrose-Cena bout is to generate hype for the upcoming Triple Threat match with Styles.

If last week's interactions between those two warriors are any indication, Tuesday's SmackDown will boast an ample supply of fireworks.