WWE SmackDown: Potential Spoilers, Rumors, News and Preview for May 9

Backlash will be on the brain as WWE SmackDown heads to London on Tuesday night.

Rivalries are intensifying ahead of the May 21 pay-per-view. The match card is filling up. That's sure to continue in the O2 Arena.

Shinsuke Nakamura will stand face to face with a man who has tried to ruin his arrival to SmackDown. Two members of the women's division's rival factions will square off to possibly set up a Backlash bout. And Randy Orton will stride into the spotlight with revenge on his mind.

The blue brand's march to the next PPV will follow a disappointing edition of Raw.

What matches are on the docket? Who can we expect to show up? Social media updates and the SmackDown preview on WWE.com help answer those questions.

The show will be taped during the afternoon and spoilers will make their way into various corners of the internet soon after. SmackDown will then air live in the United States on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on USA Network.

News, Potential Spoilers

In a highly expected move, Chris Jericho ended his latest WWE run to allow him to return to fronting his band, Fozzy.

Last Tuesday, he fell to Kevin Owens and lost the United States Championship. KO's violent attack on him afterward felt like WWE was writing him off TV. And that was certainly the case.

Jericho acknowledged a fan's farewell and told fans "See you again" on his Instagram page:

He's since been busy promoting Fozzy's new album.

The New Day's arrival to the SmackDown stage will have to wait. Whether or not Kofi Kingston's ankle has healed, he and Big E are headed somewhere far from London.

Aditya Dogra of the Hindustan Times reported that the members of The New Day will be in India this week as part of a promotional tour. Kingston tweeted a shot of his journey east:

And now that Baron Corbin's storyline suspension is over, look for The Lone Wolf to be a big part of the show.

Dave Meltzer noted on Wrestling Observer Radio recently (h/t Marc Middleton of Wrestling Inc) that WWE is high on the idea of Corbin as a main event talent, even more so than Braun Strowman of Raw.

SmackDown Streaks

Victory has been a familiar experience for Tye Dillinger as he has begun his tenure on the blue brand. 

The Perfect 10 defeated Aiden English on the latest episode of SmackDown, giving him two straight wins over him. Per CageMatch.net, Dillinger is 3-0 since joining SmackDown.

He's not getting quite the hype that Shinsuke Nakamura is, but Dillinger is receiving a bit of a push early on. 

Sin Cara can't say the same. He fell to Dolph Ziggler last week to extend a SmackDown slump. As seen on his CageMatch.net profile, Sin Cara is in the midst of a six-match losing streak on the show that stretches back to last February. 

He's also 2-6 on TV and PPV in 2017 so far.

The move to SmackDown during the Superstar Shake-up isn't likely to change his fortunes. He looks to be standing on a low rung for now.

En Route to Backlash

A faction war is brewing in the women's division, and Becky Lynch and Natalya stand on opposite sides.

Natalya has formed what's being referred to as "the welcoming committee" with the intention of taking down Charlotte Flair and going after SmackDown women's champ Naomi. She'll first face Lynch in one-on-one action in London, as announced on the show's WWE.com preview.

With Carmella and Tamina sure to be in Natalya's corner and both Flair and Naomi backing up The Irish Lass Kicker, this singles match is bound to break down into a barroom brawl at some point. And that promises to lead to a six-woman clash at the upcoming PPV.

Nakamura and Ziggler, meanwhile, will meet again ahead of their expected collision at Backlash.

The WWE.com SmackDown preview noted: "Ziggler has, apparently, reached his wit's end, as he has vowed to confront The King of Strong Style in the ring in London." 

In their previous encounters, Ziggler has done the majority of the talking. WWE has looked to mask Nakamura's limited English-language skills.

That is poised to continue on Tuesday night with Nakamura speaking by way of his kicks. 

Breezango and The Usos' feud should get some spotlight, too. Tyler Breeze and Fandango spent last week's SmackDown mocking their Backlash opponents in a fashion police comedy segment.

The SmackDown preview asked: "Will the champions make their challengers pay, or will the fashion police continue to build their case for WWE Backlash?"

It will be quite interesting to see how WWE handles this story. Breezango is a unique commodity and the duo will be best served with the company embracing the absurd. 

And for the first time since Payback, SmackDown will welcome its top champion to the stage. Orton is set to appear, meaning Jinder Mahal can't be far behind.

Credit: WWE.com

Doubters are having trouble buying Mahal as a WWE Championship contender. This match has a buzz deficiency as a result. 

Tuesday will mark WWE's latest opportunity to sell the audience on The Maharajah, continuing his sudden rise from jobber to headliner.