SmackDown LIVE preview, Jan. 9, 2018: Is Styles ready for two challengers at the Royal Rumble?

A controversial ending to the match between WWE Champion AJ Styles and Sami Zayn saw Kevin Owens,
Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan get involved, and allowed Zayn to sneak away with a victory. When a
frustrated Phenomenal One declared that he might as well face the two friends in a Handicap Match,
Bryan liked the sound of that, so he made that exact match for the Royal Rumble event on the spot!
How will Styles react to this unexpected decision? Find out on SmackDown LIVE

The Ascension battle The Bludgeon Brothers

Shelton Benjamin & Chad Gable demand justice

Becky Lynch returns to action against Ruby Riott

How will AJ Styles react to his Handicap Match at WWE Royal Rumble?

Zack Ryder and Mojo Rawley clash in final U.S. Title Tournament First Round Match

How will AJ Styles react to his Handicap Match at WWE Royal Rumble?

Last Tuesday, after losing to Sami Zayn in controversial fashion during a battle that saw Kevin Owens,
Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan get involved, a frustrated AJ Styles lashed out, saying he may as well
face Owens & Zayn in a Handicap Match.
Bryan, whose leadership has been called into question in recent weeks, took the WWE Champion literally,
making a Handicap Match for the title on the spot for the Royal Rumble event on Jan. 28. The Phenomenal
One seemed less than thrilled with the decision. How will Styles react to this predicament tonight.

Zack Ryder and Mojo Rawley clash in final U.S. Title Tournament First Round Match

The first round of the United States Championship Tournament comes to a close this week on SmackDown LIVE,
as Zack Ryder clashes with Mojo Rawley in the final opening round showdown.
There’s no love lost between the former Hype Bros, after Rawley unceremoniously turned his back on Ryder and
defeated him at WWE Clash of Champions. Long Island Iced Z wants to reclaim the star-spangled title and get
payback on his former friend, while Rawley is looking to prove a point to Ryder

Becky Lynch returns to action against Ruby Riott

Becky Lynch hasn’t forgotten what The Riott Squad did to her during their first night on SmackDown LIVE. A
vicious attack by Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan & Sarah Logan put The Irish Lass-Kicker on the shelf for over a month.
However, Becky’s back, and she’s out for retribution.
She’ll get her first crack at The Riott Squad on Tuesday night, when she battles Riott in one-on-one action.
Lynch won’t be alone, though – she’ll have SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair and Naomi in her corner
to counteract any meddling Morgan & Logan might be considering.
Will Becky Lynch get the payback she’s looking for, or will The Riott Squad continue to cause mayhem as the
historic Women’s Royal Rumble Match draws near?

Shelton Benjamin & Chad Gable demand justice

Shelton Benjamin & Chad Gable thought they had defeated The Usos and won the SmackDown Tag Team Titles last week.
The referee counted three as Gable pinned Jimmy Uso, setting off a celebration. However, the official soon realized
that neither Gable nor Jimmy were the legal Superstars in the battle, rendering his decision null and void, and he
ordered the match to restart. The Usos stayed focused after the restart and walked out victorious with their titles in hand.
However, Gable & Benjamin are not going away quietly following the controversial ending. WWE.com has learned that
the two are “demanding justice” after last week’s battle. What exactly do the two mat wrestling masters have in mind?

The Ascension battle The Bludgeon Brothers

After saving their best friends from another bludgeoning at the hands of Harper & Rowan, The Ascension will get a
crack at The Bludgeon Brothers this week on SmackDown LIVE.
Konnor & Viktor inadvertently fed their best friends, Tyler Breeze & Fandango, to the wolves over the past few weeks,
volunteering them for rematches against the hammer-wielding monsters. After being saved from a beatdown by The Ascension,
The Fashion Police showed Konnor & Viktor a great deal of gratitude, but said it was time for The Bludgeon Brothers to
face someone their own size. With that, Breeze & Fandango went to Daniel Bryan and got The Ascension a match with
Harper & Rowan this week.
Will the bludgeoning continue, or will Harper & Rowan go on a one-way trip to The Wasteland?