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From Charlotte Flair becoming your new SmackDown Live Women's Champion to the triumphant ending that saw Kofi Kingston finally being handed the WrestleMania spot he deserved all along, this week's edition of WWE SmackDown Live (26th March 2019) featured a lot of contrasting moments indeed.
This was a great episode. From start to finish, last night's show was structured in a way to keep the fans speculating till next week. Not only did it resolve a major plot point for the Kofi Kingston saga in a triumphant ending, but it also raised interesting questions for several others, most importantly as to how the SmackDown Live Women's Championship will factor into the main event of WrestleMania 35.
With that being said, here are a few interesting observations you may have missed during this week's edition of SmackDown Live...
#3: Was this really Kurt Angle's FINAL SmackDown Live match on the Road To WrestleMania 35?
Kurt Angle and AJ Styles have had several classic bouts in TNA back in the day.
Even if Kurt Angle cannot recapture his physical attributes from his peak years, people were genuinely expecting a good back-and-forth contest between Styles and Angle.
For what it's worth, the contest itself was being advertised as Kurt Angle's final SmackDown Live match as part of the former Olympic Gold Medallist's farewell tour.
Nevertheless, Randy Orton was expected to interfere, which eventually occurred very early on during the bout (perhaps to save time for the Tag Team Gauntlet Match).
There are reports circulating around which suggest that Baron Corbin might not be Kurt Angle's confirmed opponent for WrestleMania 35, and if last night was any indication, it seems as if Randy Orton and AJ Styles might have something to do with Kurt Angle's farewell match at this year's WrestleMania.
If not, Randy Orton and AJ Styles might face each other in a singles match, as expected.
There is, however, some unfinished business between Kurt Angle and Randy Orton. With only one week to go, things might drastically change for all participants involved, and most importantly, Kurt Angle...
#2: Charlotte Flair's unexpected title win makes the WrestleMania 35 Main Event scenario more interesting
Shockingly, WWE officials cancelled a Fatal-4-Way #1 Contendership Match for the SmackDown Live Women's Championship (featuring Naomi, Mandy Rose, Carmella & Sonya Deville) last night.
Instead, Charlotte Flair was handed yet another opportunity at the prestigious title, and the Queen became an 8-time Women's Champion after everything was said and done.
As expected, fans were outraged at this sudden turn of events, and without any doubt, it does undermine the potential of several other female wrestlers on the roster as well.
But in the macroscopic view of things, Charlotte Flair's title win makes things interesting for the Women's Triple Threat main event match at WrestleMania 35. Both RAW & SmackDown Live Womens' titles will be showcased in the same match at the Grandest Stage of them all.
Moreover, the SmackDown Live Women's Championship also saw a recent slump during Asuka's reign. Blame it on the booking or the performer (Asuka) herself, but Charlotte Flair's status and current feud in the WWE has certainly drawn a lot of attention.
This decision will have several implications on the rest of the female roster, but it also opens up interesting scenarios for the future, so it is a bittersweet moment after all...
#1: KofiMania is (officially) running wilder than most of the storylines heading into WrestleMania 35
It would have been hard to imagine Kofi Kingston vs. Daniel Bryan taking place at WrestleMania for the WWE Title a few years ago.
But with all the right circumstances involved, this feud has had one of the best builds (if not the best) when we consider all storylines heading into WrestleMania 35.
The fans are absolutely behind Kofi Kingston, and Vince McMahon's improvised approach to this feud has worked for the better. Let's just say that Mr McMahon's unpredictability has had a huge impact in keeping the feud's momentum afloat.
Now that the match is official, who knows what will happen on next week's episode of SmackDown Live?
KofiMania is running wild, as confirmed by last night's satisfactory, joyous ending. But with all the momentum in the world, can Kofi Kingston overcome The Planet's Champion (Daniel Bryan) at the Grandest Stage of Them All?
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