WWE SmackDown: Potential Spoilers, Rumors, News and Preview for Jan. 24

Tuesday's WWE SmackDown will give fans an early taste of the "every man for himself" flavor that permeates the Royal Rumble.

Wyatt Family members Luke Harper and Randy Orton are set to fight each other. And suddenly, Bray Wyatt's predatory crew is the closest it has been to implosion.

The chaos that match promises will act as a warm-up to the 30-man Battle Royal that will headline Sunday's Royal Rumble pay-per-view.

The go-home show in Toledo, Ohio, is WWE's last chance to hype that event. Will SmackDown Superstars like Kalisto earn their way into the Royal Rumble match? Will WWE up the audience's interest in the WWE Championship match?

And will Mickie James make it clear why she has been disguised as La Luchadora all this time?

A look at backstage news, social media updates and the SmackDown preview on WWE.com will help answer those questions ahead of Tuesday's show at 8 p.m. ET on USA Network.

News, Potential Spoilers

It may not be long before the blue brand reinserts Naomi.

As Nick Hausman of WrestleZone noted, Naomi competed in tag team action at a WWE house show in Saginaw, Michigan, on Monday. This was the latest in a recent string of live show appearances for her.

She had previously been out with an ankle injury and hasn't competed on SmackDown since November.

If James Ellsworth shows up on Tuesday's SmackDown, it may be to appeal to the crowd. The lovable loser has been campaigning for a spot in the Royal Rumble match.

He recently posted a video on Twitter asking fans to help him get into the bout:

It's possible that WWE will work this into an on-screen storyline.

John Cena will be focused on AJ Styles when he makes his way to the SmackDown stage. And fans won't be seeing any seeds planted for an Undertaker showdown.

Bryan Alvarez mentioned on Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Randall Ortman of Cageside Seats) that while WWE has a WrestleMania plan in place for Cena, it doesn't involve The Deadman. If that's the case, perhaps Tuesday night will feature some foreshadowing of what direction the powerhouse will be headed at The Show of Shows.

SmackDown Streaks

Intercontinental champion Dean Ambrose has a solid amount of momentum to his name ahead of the Royal Rumble. Not only does he have the IC title in his grasp, but his win-loss record is improving.

Ambrose knocked off Orton last Tuesday. That marked his third straight victory on SmackDown, per CageMatch.net. He was 2-8 in his previous 10 bouts overall.

WWE typically has its champions, especially those of the midcard variety, lose too often in non-title matches. It's great to see the company bucking that trend with The Lunatic Fringe so far.

A three-match winning streak must seem as impossible as walking on the sun for The Vaudevillains right now.

Simon Gotch and Aiden English have gone from bottom feeders to complete nonfactors. According to CageMatch.net, The Vaudevillains have now missed five SmackDowns in a row, including every show in 2017 thus far.

Maybe it's for the better. Gotch and English are on a 22-match losing streak that stretches back to June.

Answers and Animosity

The mask is off, but the mystery of La Luchadora isn't over.

James stormed back into SmackDown last Tuesday when she helped Alexa Bliss retain the SmackDown Women's Championship against Becky Lynch. But why did the former women's champ partner up with Bliss? What's her endgame here?

Renee Young will ask questions like those on Tuesday, as WWE.com's SmackDown preview announced that she will get a chance to interview James.

This is a key moment for this storyline. Strong, believable motivations will kick off the next chapter of James' tale in the right way.

Kalisto isn't so much interested in answers as he is in payback. Dolph Ziggler has attacked the luchador in recent weeks, as The Showoff increasingly embraces his villainous side.

The two are now set to face off in official action. WWE can make this a far more compelling match if a spot in the Royal Rumble is on the line.

Styles and Cena already have their spots on the PPV secured. Cena is set to challenge Styles for the WWE Championship, looking to tie Ric Flair's record of 16 world title reigns in the process.

They will get one last chance to talk trash or issue cheap shots before their upcoming battle. "'The Champ That Runs the Camp' is planning on calling The Cenation Leader to the ring," per WWE.com.

Tuesday's SmackDown will also feature the match that potentially fractures The Wyatt Family for good: Orton vs. Harper.

Harper has long been resentful and distrustful of Orton since he aligned himself with The Wyatt Family. The tension between them has grown immeasurably over the past few weeks, as their infighting has cost them victories.

They may still be SmackDown tag team champs if they could stop barking at each other and focus on their enemies.

Tuesday's bout is supposed to be a means for them to settle their differences, to get their hostility out of their system. There's a great chance, though, that the collision will lead to the faction's collapse.