Releases are an unfortunate reality of pro wrestling or any industry, but some departures tend to strike fans as more surprising or disappointing than others.

That was certainly the case this past week, with a few of the names being let go by WWE. Despite not living up to their full potential, they'll have the chance to redeem themselves by finding success elsewhere once they're contractually free to do so.

A handful of those ex-WWE Superstars may make their way over to All Elite Wrestling in the not-too-distant future. Toni Storm is a prime example of someone who WWE dropped the ball with big time, and she has since gone on to become the best female wrestler hired in the promotion's short history.

Her work with former protégé Mariah May has largely carried AEW programming for the past few weeks and deserves praise for being as entertaining and engaging as it has been.

This installment of Quick Takes will discuss Storm becoming an invaluable asset to AEW, ideal opponents for Rhea Ripley and Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 41, why Charlotte Flair must embrace the boos, and more.

Analyzing WWE's Latest Roster Cuts and What's Next

Of the Superstars WWE released throughout the weekend, there were an elite few who could and should have gone significantly further than they did.

Giovanni Vinci and Blair Davenport are the top talents who stand out from the list. WWE hardly tried with either of them as singles stars on the main roster. Although they were likely never going to get beyond a certain level, they deserved more time to show what they could do before the company cut bait.

Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, as well as Authors of Pain, were puzzling releases, if only because WWE could use additional depth in the Raw and SmackDown tag team divisions. Both tandems could have at least been used to elevate up-and-coming teams but were hardly utilized in their final months with WWE.

An argument can be made that Sonya Deville and Isla Dawn have higher ceilings, but they'll now have the opportunity to bounce back and prove their worth wherever they end up next. They would be welcome additions to TNA's women's scene, in particular.

Paul Ellering and Elektra Lopez excelled in managerial roles but were rarely featured on WWE TV, ultimately making them expendable and prone to being let go.

Finally, for as exceptionally skilled as Cedric Alexander is, he had been firmly positioned as a stepping stone for the majority of his WWE run. He is the odds-on favorite to sign with AEW before anyone else so he can be reunited with his Hurt Syndicate stablemates.

LA Knight Is Stronger 'Mania Opponent for Drew McIntyre Than Damian Priest

Drew McIntyre's underwhelming elimination from the men's Royal Rumble match last weekend became a hot topic of conversation among fans following the event, with PWInsider reporting The Scottish Warrior wasn't happy with how it played out.

Fightful Select later confirmed LA Knight was the individual the Scot was upset with during the match, but there was no residual heat between them on SmackDown.

In fact, knowing they had a bit of bad blood made their interaction in the Triple Threat match on Friday night all the more interesting. McIntyre punched his ticket to Elimination Chamber with the win, but his direction heading into WrestleMania 41 remains unclear.

The original report from PWInsider noted the two-time WWE champion is slated to face Damian Priest at The Show of Shows, but McIntyre vs. Knight is much more appealing on paper and would be a better use of both men.

As for where that leaves Priest, he could just as easily set his sights on the United States Championship, especially since Shinsuke Nakamura is without an obvious challenger at the moment.

The Archer of Infamy should be prioritized on the blue brand, but a feud with McIntyre isn't the answer, as it has already been done.

Toni Storm Remains AEW's MVP and Best Female Wrestler Hire to Date

Toni Storm was mere months into her main roster run when WWE decided to sabotage her creatively, leading to her abrupt departure from the company in late 2021.

Her move to AEW the subsequent spring was the best decision she could have made.

She's also been the greatest addition to the AEW women's division to date.

Storm's first year or so in the company was solid and featured two reigns as AEW women's world champion. Still, it wasn't until she adopted her "Timeless" persona and captured the prestigious prize for a third time that she enjoyed the greatest success of her entire career.

Her in-ring ability has always been her strong suit, but the character work has been what has taken her to an all-new level of stardom. Even when it appeared she was transitioning into something different, she breathed new life into the gimmick by revealing it was all a ruse and rekindling her rivalry with Mariah May in the process.

The two of them have single-handedly carried the build for Grand Slam: Australia, and even once that storyline runs its course, Storm will continue to make the most of whatever she's involved in and shine bright.

Charlotte Flair Must Embrace Boos and Lean Heel Leading into WrestleMania 41

If it wasn't already apparent, Charlotte Flair is going to have a difficult time staying babyface if that's the plan WWE has for her heading into WrestleMania 41.

The women's Royal Rumble coming down to her, Roxanne Perez and Nia Jax made it clear the company hoped to have her win be well-received by the fans so she could be positioned as the babyface in her feud with WWE women's champion Tiffany Stratton.

The negative reaction she received on Raw last Monday, followed by Friday's SmackDown, simply served as a reminder that she has always been more of a natural heel. There's no need to force her as a face if fans are going to reject her in that role.

Between the two of them, it will be easier for Stratton to get the fans behind her, especially if the turn is subtle, organic and gradual. The story writes itself with the titleholder wanting to prove herself to the multi-time champ while Flair strives to spoil her first appearance on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

So far, there is nothing dramatically different about Flair than what we've seen from her before. That's only acceptable if the idea is for her to embrace the boos and portray the antagonist the audience wants her to be.

Best Options for Rhea Ripley's WrestleMania 41 Opponent

Despite their heated confrontation on last Monday's Raw, Rhea Ripley will not face Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 41.

In addition to the fact that there is no reason to revisit that rivalry right now, there are plenty of other exciting opponents for the Australian at the event instead.

The upcoming women's Elimination Chamber match will seemingly set in stone Ripley's Women's World Championship challenger. Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss and Liv Morgan have already qualified, and Bayley vs. Lyra Valkyria, Roxanne Perez vs. Raquel Rodriguez and Chelsea Green vs. Naomi have been announced as the remaining qualifiers.

Of those options, Belair stands out as being the best bet. She's currently one-half of the WWE women's tag team champions with Naomi, but they could drop those belts to Morgan and Rodriguez sometime in the coming weeks.

Ripley vs. Belair deserves a bigger build, but it still sells itself as an attraction worthy of headlining either night of WrestleMania, nonetheless.

Iyo Sky would have been the ideal opponent for Ripley, but all signs point to that being booked for Elimination Chamber following their falling out on the Feb. 3 edition of Raw.

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.