Kofi Kingston, Becky Lynch Looking Stronger Than Ever in WWE SmackDown Fallout

The stage has now been set. The final episodes of WWE Raw and SmackDown Live have ended, leaving only empty days remaining until WrestleMania 35.

This year's show is packed with matches of varying quality that could be defining moments in the careers of the wrestlers or be quickly forgotten. Almost everyone is getting some sort of spotlight, but it's hard to say what they will do with it.

The April 2 edition of SmackDown Live gave a few hints especially about the key matches at 'Mania for the blue brand. The two biggest stars in recent memory both made their presence felt before the biggest matches of their careers.

Kofi Kingston signed the contract for his WWE Championship match against Daniel Bryan, sealing the deal for easily the most important moment of his career. He continued to bask in his newfound popularity and now looks poised to win his first world singles title.

Similarly, Becky Lynch got in her own final words before headlining The Grandest Stage of Them All with Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair. Her own journey was highlighted as she is on the verge of being crowned the undisputed champion of the women's division.

These two set the bar, along with a few other key takeaways, just before the biggest night of the WWE year that could hint at the future of the business and this brand.

Kofi Kingston Should Get His Happy Ending

To make sure he got his long-awaited WWE Championships singles match, Kofi Kingston demanded a contract signing. Daniel Bryan used the spotlight to preach about how the long-time veteran had allowed the crowd to make him into a fad, but the New Day member stole the mic and made clear this was his moment.

One last week of build was all this feud needed as the champion and challenger kept things short and simple. They said their piece, and the parallel stories of the two men were highlighted. It was a great way to build anticipation without any actual fighting.

Kingston's journey has been one of the most emotionally resonant in recent memory as the 11-year veteran took just one shot to steal the show and get what he has long craved. This opportunity, which felt impossible a few months back, now feels like destiny.

It's wrestling at its finest. A long-time veteran makes the most of a spotlight and sets the stage for the ultimate underdog story, built upon a decade of background that was never meant to lead to this moment.

Not every moment at WrestleMania will be the fairy-tale ending fans want, but hopefully at least the New Day leader gets what he has rightfully earned.

The Tag Team Division Remains an Afterthought at WrestleMania

The Usos fought with Ricochet and Aleister Black against The Bar and Rusev and Shinsuke Nakamura. After the SmackDown tag team champions took the victory by pinning Rusev, WrestleMania host Alexa Bliss arrived to announce Jimmy and Jey would defend their titles Sunday against all the teams they had just fought.

Up until Tuesday night, neither tag team champions were booked for The Grandest Stage of Them All. After Raw, Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins challenged The Revival to a match in a backstage video. Meanwhile, the rest of the relevant tag teams were thrown together in a last-minute Fatal 4-Way match.

While the NXT duo continue to dominate both divisions and will have had a shot at each major WWE tag team championship in one week, the rest of this division feels barely relevant especially going into an overstocked 'Mania card.

The Usos deserve better than this even if every team they are fighting is a quality threat. They are the best tag team in the company, but even that is apparently not enough for them to get a legitimate spot at WrestleMania.

This contest had no buildup and will likely be thrown on the Kickoff alongside the Raw Tag Team Championships match with even less story. As the division grows larger by the month, WWE will have to eventually decide whether fans should ever care about tag teams.

Sanity Cannot Catch the Easiest of Breaks

Credit: WWE.com

While the top tag teams in WWE are underutilized, those who cannot get a spotlight are completely wasted. At the moment, no one is wasted more than Sanity, who lost in a three-on-one Fall Count Anywhere handicap match to The Miz.

Eric Young, Alexander Wolfe and Killian Dain were a legitimate force in NXT, but their main roster run was a dud from the start, seemingly establishing them as capable veterans as they lost repeatedly only to disappear from television.

After months not even appearing on SmackDown, they returned just before 'Mania and lost in the most lopsided match they could have had in their favor. This was a likely career killer for the entire team.

Dain especially was established at one point as a huge star in the making. Even if that never came to pass, Sanity should still be adding a legitimate threat to one of the two tag team divisions. Raw could certainly use somebody, and they should still get better treatment on the blue brand.

Becky Lynch's Journey from WrestleMania 34 to 35 Has Been Remarkable

Released from police custody, Becky Lynch headed directly to SmackDown Live where she had one final message for the WWE Universe.

Standing atop the commentary table, she stated WrestleMania 35 would be the climax of her personal journey from afterthought to headliner in one year.

It is remarkable to look back at the past year of her career. She was more or less eliminated off-screen in last year's Battle Royal and has been slowly rising up the ranks ever since. Her turn at SummerSlam launched her into stardom, and she has never looked back.

These past few months have been clearly establishing her as the biggest star in the women's division even if WWE took some weird turns along the way. Her popularity has not waned and will be noticeable on Sunday in a massive arena.

Even if she falls short, which feels unlikely given the spotlight, it is still a spectacular journey. She is the heart and soul of SmackDown and would be the only one ready to be the undisputed women's champion.