Ricochet in AEW After WWE Exit, Booking Logan Paul vs. LA Knight, More Quick Takes

Ricochet was the talk of the wrestling world over the weekend, with Mike Johnson of PWInsider reporting late Saturday that he had given notice to WWE ahead of his contract expiring this summer.

The One and Only has enjoyed a moderate amount of success during his six-year stint with WWE, but a case can be made for him having been grossly underutilized during his main roster run.

Now, the question turns to whether other disgruntled WWE Superstars will follow suit once their contracts come due.

Meanwhile, Bryan Danielson's deal with All Elite Wrestling is up at the end of the summer, and he has made it clear that he intends to end his full-time wrestling career on a high note at All In at Wembley Stadium in London on August 25.

Although he has announced his intentions to enter the Owen Hart Cup and headline All In for the AEW World Championship, another match might make more sense for him to have on the grand stage.

This installment of Quick Takes will tackle AEW's booking of Danielson in his remaining months, when LA Knight should finally beat Logan Paul, Austin Theory potentially turning babyface, and more.

The Top Takeaway from Ricochet's WWE Departure and Rumored Move to AEW

It's been well over a decade since WWE was last creatively thriving as consistently as it has since Triple H took the reins two years ago. Many Superstars have received renewed pushes thanks to The Game, including Ricochet.

For much as he's been showcased as an attraction lately, The One and Only's rumored decision to depart the company should come as little surprise.

It's apparent the 35-year-old has hit his ceiling in WWE and journeying to other promotions would give him a fresh batch of opponents to work with, new goals to strive for and the opportunity to remind fans what he can do without any limitations.

The same be can be said for several stars currently in WWE who would also benefit from a change of scenery.

Ricochet leaving may have been inevitable because of the damage done early in his main roster run, but it should send the message to WWE brass that other underutilized athletes could also be eyeing the exit and for them to be booked better to avoid another mass exodus à la 2019.

What's important to remember is that going to AEW could turn out to be a lateral move for Ricochet. He's bound to make a major splash upon his arrival as most newcomers do, but the midcard scene is so stacked that television time could be hard to come by.

However, The One and Only in AEW is a natural fit and worth a shot if it means escaping the status quo in WWE, regardless of what his future entails exactly.

Could a Babyface Turn Be What Finally Elevates Austin Theory?

Despite his undeniable talent in the ring, Austin Theory's WWE run has been one obstacle after another. He's come close to ascending to the next level on multiple occasions, only to drop back down the card for one reason or another.

A failed Money in the Bank cash-in, an uninspired United States Championship run and an astounding lack of follow-up to a WrestleMania 39 win over John Cena has caused him to settle into midcard purgatory for the last year.

Just two months removed from becoming one-half of the WWE tag team champions, Theory appears to be headed for a babyface turn based on the recent tension teased between him and his tag partner, Grayson Waller.

Nothing else has been effective in elevating the 26-year-old to main event status, so experimenting with being a babyface is a logical direction to go in.

Breaking up A-Town Down Under so soon would be a blow to the blue brand's tag team division, so keeping them together a while longer would be better for both of them. But there is the chance he is able to endear himself to the crowd and find his footing as a fan favorite.

If the last-ditch effort to salvage Theory's upside is unsuccessful, at least he will have sunk or swam on his own merit.

How AEW Should Book Remainder of Bryan Danielson's Full-Time Run

As one of the best in the business today (and arguably ever), Bryan Danielson deserved a worthy sendoff when he announced that 2024 would be his last year as a full-time wrestler, and AEW has given him just that.

His "retirement tour" has spanned several promotions and involved a slew of dream matches. After losing every high-profile bout he's had this year, he's entered himself into the men's Owen Hart Cup and given himself the goal of winning the whole thing in order to headline All In for the AEW World Championship.

Danielson going out on top as champ would be a fitting farewell for the modern-day legend, but seeing as how Sting had a similar swan song earlier this year, he'd be better suited in a non-title match at the event against an opponent he has a rich history with: Nigel McGuiness.

The former ROH world champion hasn't laced up his boots since 2011 when he had his final match against, of course, Danielson. The Englishman has spent the past year berating the 43-year-old on commentary for a reason, and his home country would be the perfect place for him to call it a career as well.

Danielson's direction in his remaining months should continue to feel like one of AEW's featured stories.

The Judgment Day's Next Chapter Must Be Imminent to Maintain Fan Interest

The gradual disintegration of The Judgment Day has been fun to follow since WrestleMania 40, with Damian Priest reigning as the world heavyweight champion, Rhea Ripley getting hurt, and the other members having mysterious run-ins with Liv Morgan.

The biggest issue with the angle—in addition to being a rerun from last summer—is the snail's pace it's progressing at. Morgan locking lips with Dominik Mysterio on the Memorial Day edition of Raw was a major development, but the storyline has been stagnant otherwise.

Clash at the Castle on Saturday should see the storyline move forward in some form or fashion, potentially with The Judgment Day factoring into the finish of Priest's World Heavyweight Championship defense against Drew McIntyre.

The endgame should be The Archer of Infamy turning babyface and branching off on his own. If Ripley isn't due back anytime soon, getting closer to that chapter of the story within the next few weeks would ensure the audience remains invested.

WWE runs the risk of fans not caring about what comes next if it takes too long to get there.

LA Knight's Big Win over Logan Paul Would Be Better Saved for SummerSlam

WWE has finally taken the proper steps in recent weeks to build toward LA Knight vs. Logan Paul, a feud fans have been highly anticipating for some time.

Knight was stuck spinning his wheels for the first half of 2024 but now has direction with the United States Championship firmly in his sights. He was always the ideal candidate to end Paul's reign, which dates back to November's Crown Jewel where he won it from Rey Mysterio.

There's no reason to rush the rivalry by having their first one-on-one encounter take place at Clash at Castle, though. Money in the Bank on July 6 would be a more appropriate event to host that clash, but that shouldn't be where The Megastar takes the title from the YouTuber.

Knight and Paul have shown that their chemistry is strong enough to carry a two-month program until SummerSlam.

The titleholder picking up a tainted win over Knight would give him yet another thing to boast about as well as make the audience want to see the babyface beat him that much more.

All roads lead to SummerSlam, emanating from Paul's home state of Ohio. There, Knight can capture the championship to culminate their storyline, almost exactly one year removed from the SummerSlam Slim Jim Battle Royal win that catapulted him into superstardom.

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Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.