The final WWESmackDown of 2016 will be filled to the brim with championship matches.
A Triple Threat bout will decide who holds the WWE Championship heading into the new year. Both the SmackDown Tag Team and Women's Championships will be up for grabs, too. Throw in the return of John Cena, and it feels like the blue brand added an extra pay-per-view to the calendar.
WWE has dubbed this stacked show the "Wild Card Finals."
And for the second consecutive night, Chicago will play host to WWE action. The Allstate Arena welcomed Raw on Monday. It's now SmackDown's turn to rock the Windy City.
Can AJ Styles retain the WWE title? Who will clash with Cena? How will SmackDown cap off the year?
Before the blue brand hits the airwaves on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on the USA Network, read on for a look at what's ahead, with info from the SmackDown preview on WWE.com and backstage reports.
News, Potential Spoilers
The SmackDown women's division is reportedly poised to add a familiar face—former women's champ and TNA star Mickie James.
James wrestled at NXTTakeOver: Toronto in what seemed like a one-off return, but as Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet wrote weeks ago, "James was recently offered a new contract to once again compete on WWE's main roster."
And now it looks as if SmackDown will be her next home. Dave Meltzer reported on Figure Four Online, "James was in Pittsburgh today doing her WWE physicals. She is scheduled to start on the SmackDown women's division if all goes right."
Bringing James back into the fold would be a thrilling way to wrap up 2016.
The division could be welcoming back a sidelined star as well. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Nick Hausman of Wrestle Zone), Naomi was set to return to action two weeks ago after missing time due to an ankle injury.
The report also noted Naomi was backstage at a recent SmackDown but didn't end up making an appearance.
SmackDown Streaks
Mojo Rawley has been building solid momentum of late.
The ever-hyped powerhouse knocked off Curt Hawkins last week. That marked his third win in a row, including two victories as one-half of The Hype Bros, per CageMatch.net.
His tag team partner, Zack Ryder, is out of action following knee surgery, but Rawley may be poised to now go on a run on his own.
Apollo Crews can't say the same. It doesn't look as if WWE has any interest in building him up at the moment.
Last Tuesday, Crews fell to The Miz in a match for the Intercontinental Championship. The good news is that the dynamo was in a title match. The bad news is that it resulted in his fifth consecutive loss on SmackDown, per CageMatch.net.
Crews has to be one of the Superstars WWE attempts to boost in 2017. His first year on the main roster was a big-time disappointment.
Wild Card Finals
Ryder and Rawley earned the right to face The Wyatt Family for the SmackDown tag team titles, but a freak injury ruined those plans.
Now, Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton have to fend off three teams at one time instead. American Alpha, The Usos and Heath Slater and Rhyno will all clash with the champs in a Four Corners Elimination match.
The Wyatt Family has been a dominant force since Orton joined its ranks. WWE would be wise to continue that trend, showcasing these predators en route to a major match at WrestleMania next year.
Alexa Bliss will have a tough challenge of her own.
The first SmackDown women's titleholder, Becky Lynch, will look to reclaim her crown from Bliss. And The Lass Kicker has momentum on her side. Disguised as La Luchadora, Lynch knocked off Bliss last Tuesday.
These rivals have shown excellent chemistry against each other, and that promises to continue in their latest showdown.
Tuesday's SmackDown will also feature Cena's return to WWE programming. The 15-time world champ has been busy filming the reality series American Grit over the past two months.
It's not clear what WWE has in mind for Cena when he steps back into the squared circle. He could be announcing his intention to enter the Royal Rumble or planting the seeds for a WrestleMania clash with The Undertaker.
The SmackDown preview on WWE.com asked, "Will he have his eyes squarely on the WWE Championship? Or has someone else drawn the ire of the Cenation?"
If Cena is focused on the WWE title, he will want to keep a close eye on SmackDown's main event. AJ Styles will defend the title against Dolph Ziggler and Baron Corbin.
With the No. 1 contender's spot on the line, Ziggler and Corbin fought to a double count-out last week. That led to both men getting a shot at The Phenomenal One.
Styles has been tremendous all year. It's unlikely WWE dethrones him at this point. But even if the outcome unfolds as expected, those three warriors colliding will be plenty exciting.
And with a flurry of title matches, SmackDown will put an exclamation point on the statement it's been making since the brand split—it is WWE's more must-see brand.