Is Lana Set to Get a Bigger Push Than Rusev on WWE SmackDown Live?

The celebration lasted longer than the in-ring action when Lana defeated Billie Kay to earn her spot in the Money in the Bank ladder match.

A minute's worth of wrestling, Aiden English waving around a Lana Day sign, and a Massachusetts crowd buzzing all added up to a sudden shift in momentum for The Ravishing Russian.

The little-seen Lana now looks poised to saunter into the spotlight again, perhaps outshining her husband Rusev in the process.

A distraction from The Shakespeare of Song allowed Lana to land a kick to Kay's head and hit a facebuster on one half of The IIconics. And with that, the previously winless Lana was headed to Money in the Bank.

Lana hadn't been around much of late. It was instead English who accompanied Rusev to his battles.

The duo had come up with the concept of Rusev Day, a fictional holiday to celebrate the powerhouse, one that apparently occurs every day. It's an idea fans have taken to, inspiring them to chant for Rusev despite his heel status.

WWE looked to transfer some of that Rusev Day electricity to Lana on Tuesday's SmackDown.

Now both Rusev and Lana are set to compete in Money in the Bank ladder matches at the June 17 pay-per-view. They could become the first couple to both carry around that coveted briefcase at the same time.

That's an unlikely scenario, though.

WWE will probably push one of those Superstars more, and Lana is the safer bet to get that nod. The company hasn't shown a commitment to Rusev, and it has been quicker to get behind his former manager.

Lana's first three one-on-one matches on the main roster were for the SmackDown Women's Championship, as seen on the Internet Wrestling Database. Rusev, meanwhile, hasn't sniffed the WWE Championship.

The Ravishing Russian has a marketable look, is a strong talker and, as Miami Herald columnist Scott Fishman noted, possesses a key intangible skill:

It also helps that she has less opposition in the women's division. There are fewer people to push past for Lana. Her next turn at title contention could come at any moment. She has been relegated to the bench for a long while, but Money in the Bank offers her an opportunity to return to the limelight.

And should WWE back her more than it does Rusev, it will be making a mistake.

Lana is the kind of wrestler one has to book around to cover up their weaknesses. If she's in the title mix again, fans can expect short bouts, multi-wrestler matches and all the bells and whistles the SmackDown writing team can come up with.

She's inexperienced and limited in the ring.

After last year's Money in the Bank PPV, Steve Austin panned her performance on his podcast, The Steve Austin Show (h/t PopCulture.com). "Naomi deserves better, the title deserves better," Stone Cold said. "Lana wasn't up for this task at hand at this point in her career." 

It's not as if Lana has had a ton of practice since. She has only wrestled in 32 matches this year, per CageMatch.net.

WWE knows Lana is no Charlotte Flair. Her rise would be built around her other skills: charisma, presence, etc. 

Rusev is more of a total package. He's a compelling bruiser, an intense and athletic wrestler who is plenty charming, as well. That's not something WWE has recognized to this point, though.

He and English have been mostly presented as bumbling antagonists for SmackDown's real stars. 

Lana is less tainted. She's the more unknown commodity. Her slate is mostly blank, leaving WWE plenty of space to write the rest of her story. 

Now, judging by Tuesday's happenings, The Ravishing Russian is in the process of using the group's popularity to make her own mark. Rusev could well slide into more of a sidekick role as his wife plays the lead.

Lana Day showing up on the calendar more often than Rusev Day is a real possibility.