Zack Ryder vs. Mojo Rawley: Latest Rumors and Preview for WWE SmackDown Jan. 9

Tuesday's WWE SmackDown will close out the first round of the United States Championship tournament with a battle between former tag team partners. Zack Ryder is set to take on Mojo Rawley with revenge on his mind.

The men once known as The Hype Bros were friends and allies. Rawley grew frustrated from their failures, though, and responded by laying out Ryder. Now, both personal issues and high stakes will power their bout as they clash in Birmingham, Alabama, looking to step closer to claiming the U.S. title. 

There will be ample other sources of animosity on the latest SmackDown, too.

Becky Lynch will get a crack at the group that ambushed her weeks ago. Controversy in the tag team division is sure to cause some tension. WWE champion AJ Styles is sure to have something to say about SmackDown general manager Daniel Bryan booking him in a handicap match at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view.

What matches are on the docket? What's set to unfold in Birmingham's Legacy Arena? 

News updates, the SmackDown preview on WWE.com and storyline projections help provide an early look at Tuesday's show before it airs on USA Network at 8 p.m. ET.

News and Rumors

Could SmackDown see Serena Deeb return? The former Straight Edge Society member may be on her way back to the blue brand.

Mike Johnson of PWInsider reported, "We are told there has been interest in bringing her back to the company of late."

Deeb left WWE in 2010 but came back to compete in last summer's Mae Young Classic. It's not clear what the company might have in mind for her, but the women's Royal Rumble match is certainly going to need extra bodies.

Randy Orton hasn't wrestled on SmackDown since Dec. 19, but that may soon change. Dave Meltzer of Figure Four Online noted, "Orton is scheduled for SmackDown on Tuesday."

Tuesday's show could also see some interaction between pairings from the Mixed Match Challenge.

WWE announced several new teams for the upcoming tournament. The squads from SmackDown include Rusev and Lana, Bobby Roode and Charlotte Flair, and Naomi and Jimmy Uso.

SmackDown Streaks

No one has been able to stop The Bludgeon Brothers thus far.

The hammer-wielding bruisers are undefeated since their re-debut in November. Harper and Rowan have gone 5-0-1 in that span, per CageMatch.net. 

Bet on that roll continuing. WWE is looking to build those two big men up. The former Wyatt Family members likely won't face their first real test until WrestleMania.

Carmella, meanwhile, is feeling the effects of the Money in the Bank briefcase curse. WWE often books the winner to lose a ton before eventually cashing in. We're seeing that hold true with The Princess of Staten Island. 

Carmella fell to The Riott Squad last Tuesday. She has now has lost five consecutive matches and is 2-9 since winning the Money in the Bank ladder match, per CageMatch.net. 

The recent focus on The Riott Squad suggests Carmella will remain a periphery figure until she makes use of the contract in that briefcase.

Preview

Rawley will look to take down Ryder just as he did at Clash of Champions. This time, a date with Bobby Roode in the second round of the U.S. title tourney awaits. 

WWE has missed the boat with this feud to this point. Rawley has torn it up on the mic in promos he shot on his phone. SmackDown hasn't aired those or done much to advance this feud on the air. That is poised to change in Alabama. 

Lynch returned to the blue brand last week after weeks away. 

The storyline explanation for her absence was a need to recover from a beatdown The Riott Squad administered. The Irish Lass Kicker is closing in on a great chance to avenge that attack. She will face Ruby Riott in singles action.

Credit: WWE.com

There's little chance that things remain one-on-one, though. The rest of Riott's crew will surely lurk at ringside. And they are sure to pounce at some point. 

The Ascension tried to give their buddies Breezango a boost by getting them two matches with The Bludgeon Brothers. Tyler Breeze and Fandango got steamrolled, however. Now, it's Viktor and Konnor's turn to try and slow down Harper and Rowan.

Recent history says that won't even come close to happening. Dominance has been The Bludgeon Brothers' game while The Ascension have slid into a comedy relief role.

Last week, Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin believed they had captured the SmackDown Tag Team Championship. 

They pinned The Usos. The bell rang. They walked up the entrance ramp with the titles in hand, but it was not to be.

The referee reversed the decision and restarted the match once he realized the wrong Uso was in the ring at the time. 

Gable and Benjamin will be seething come Tuesday night. WWE.com's SmackDown preview noted that "the two are 'demanding justice' after last week's battle."

Styles may not be happy, either. He's set to defend the WWE Championship against both Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens at the Royal Rumble. Bryan announced the match after Zayn stole a win against Styles.

Will The Phenomenal One take out his aggression on the heels or on the GM? Will Bryan and SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon's issues continue to overtake the main event scene? Those are among the biggest questions hovering as SmackDown continues its march toward the Royal Rumble.