WWE NXT: Updated Prospect Rankings and Analysis, Predictions for Week of June 30

Mojo Rawley made it clear on Wednesday's WWE NXT not to give up on him just yet.

The eternally hyped powerhouse has largely been a disappointment, not progressing into a well-rounded Superstar. Rawley is still a one-trick pony at this point, but he had his best performance to date. His part in a strong tag team match at Full Sail University had him looking like a prospect worthy of WWE's attention.

Wednesday night also featured Noah Potjes' second TV match, an underwhelming showing from Andrade "Cien" Almas and a reminder that Carmella isn't done developing.

The following is a look at where all those wrestlers and their peers sit on the list of NXT's top talents. Who is most ready to jump to Raw and SmackDown? Who will thrive the most after making that move?

Comparing their ring work, mic skills, look, size, gimmick and presence help answer those questions and determine the order of the rankings.

Male Wrestlers

Rank	Wrestler	Height/Weight	Notes
1.	Shinsuke Nakamura	6'2'', 229 lbs	Stellar showmanship, top-notch in-ring performer, charisma overcomes language barrier.
2.	Finn Balor	5'11'', 190 lbs	Consistently delivers strong matches, growing as a talker, marketable gimmick.
3.	Samoa Joe	6'2'', 279 lbs	Powerful presence, top-notch intensity, excellent in the ring, strong promos.
4.	Scott Dawson	5'10'', 224 lbs	Skilled striker, adept at tag team wrestling, much-improved talker, ample standout performances.
5.	Chad Gable	5'8'', 187 lbs	Improving as talker, strong connection with crowd, deft in the ring, makes technical wrestling entertaining.
6.	Jason Jordan	6'3'', 245 lbs	Great energy, passionate, powerful, impressively athletic, high ceiling.
7.	Austin Aries	5'9'', 202 lbs	Dependable veteran, strong ring work, better as a heel.
8.	Hideo Itami	5'9'', 182 lbs	High-level ring work, very athletic, mic skills are current weakness.
9.	Johnny Gargano	5'10'', 190 lbs	Smooth offense, strong ring work, good connection with fans.
10.	Andrade Almas	5'9'', 210 lbs	Highly athletic, fun showman, inconsistent striker.
11.	Tye Dillinger	6'3'', 223 lbs	Excellent connection with crowd, emotes well, fun energy, most compelling when intense.
12.	Rich Swann	5'6'', 165 lbs	Out-of-this-world athlete, great energy, size could prove an issue.
13.	Shane Thorne	6'1'', 200 lbs	Good presence, versatile in the ring, athletic, overshadowing tag team partner.
14.	Dash Wilder	5'10'', 222 lbs	Unnatural on the mic, best in tag team role, solid bruiser.
15.	Buddy Murphy	5'11'', 227 lbs	Explosive, solid mat work, underwhelming charisma, character needs depth.
16.	Tommaso Ciampa	5'11'', 210 lbs	Strong mat work, solid intensity, lacks top-notch presence.
17.	Gzim Selmani	6'4'', 308 lbs	Imposing, intense, solid footwork.
18.	Mojo Rawley	6'4'', 290 lbs	Raw in the ring, explosive athlete, powerful, one-note character.
19.	Oney Lorcan	6'1'', 199 lbs	Strong striker, intense, antics can become cartoonish.
20.	Elias Samson	6'0'', 217 lbs	Showing flashes of compelling viciousness, lacking charisma, gimmick needs development.

Prospects just outside the top 20: No Way Jose, Sawyer Fulton, Blake

Another Look at a New Predator

Potjes battled Almas in a bout clearly meant to be a showcase for the latter. The last time the big man showed up on TV was back in May when he fell to No Way Jose. He played a stepping stone that night, too.

With the match being so short, we didn't get a long look at Potjes, but he did show flashes of being a compelling beast on the prowl.

He was angry and intense, seemingly wanting to rip one of Almas' limbs off. His hammering forearms on the luchador were the highlight of the bout.

With the upcoming draft sure to pluck key NXT talents away, it will be guys like Potjes who most benefit. Suddenly, he will move up the ladder and get more TV time. He certainly has the size to take advantage of that opportunity.

Mojo Rising

Rawley and Zack Ryder stole the show in a clash with Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa. Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Online was among those who praised the bout:

"

This Gargano /Ciampa vs. Hype Bros match rules

— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) June 30, 2016"

That's just not something people normally say about a Rawley match. 

The high-energy bruiser, though, looked good in bursts here. He hit a fantastic clothesline and showed off eye-catching power by powerbombing Gargano and Ciampa at the same time:

Rawley's ground work was better than normal, too.

But bigger than the execution of his moves was that he didn't crank up the volume so high on his "Stay hyped!" act. He toned it down just enough not to be as irritating as he often is.

That sounds like a backhanded compliment, but it will be one of the keys to Rawley moving up the ranks. He has too often been a cartoon character in wrestling trunks. Scaling his energy back is a necessity.

If Rawley can produce more matches like Wednesday's, his stock will continue to rise.

Other Notes

In Shinsuke Nakamura's longest NXT promo to date, he showed off that his English is serviceable. He often plays up how little he can speak the language, but that's clearly part of his act.

WWE won't be asking him to give any extended speeches anytime soon, but he won't have to play the silent role like so many past Japanese stars. 

Almas is an exciting performer even though he's only shown NXT audiences a portion of his arsenal. He is going to have to tighten up his strikes, though.

He hit Potjes with milquetoast punches in their battle on Wednesday. Almas doesn't need to turn into Big Van Vader to succeed, but his focus in training should be delivering more realistic blows.

Female Wrestlers

Rank	Wrestler	Height	Notes
1.	Asuka	5'3''	World-class ring worker, unique, strong showmanship, excellent facial expressions.
2.	Bayley	5'6''	Strong in-ring storyteller, great connection with crowd, still room to refine mat game to reach elite status.
3.	Nia Jax	6'0''	Has improved at impressive rate, high ceiling, great power, growing presence.
4.	Alexa Bliss	5'2''	Excellent showmanship, thrives as a heel, athletic, ring work still needs refining.
5.	Carmella	5'5''	Steadily improving, still a touch raw in the ring, charismatic, strong presence.
6.	Peyton Royce	5'7''	Has developed character, strong ring work, aggressive.
7.	Liv Morgan	5'4''	Improving rapidly, good energy, solid showmanship, athletic, strong selling.
8.	Aliyah	5'2''	Eye-catching intensity, highly athletic, comfortable as a heel.
9.	Eva Marie	5'8''	Marked improvement in the ring, star presence, still a work in progress.
10.	Billie Kay	5'8''	Solid in the ring, underwhelming presence, gimmick still in progress.

Carmella's Continued Progression

Carmella took on Alexa Bliss at Full Sail, showing off both her improvement and how far she still has to go.

The Princess of Staten Island is obviously putting in hours at the WWE Performance Center. Still, she's not nearly on the same level as women like Asuka and Bayley.

Zack Zimmerman of ProWrestling.net summed it up perfectly when he wrote, "The ladies worked hard and both have made marked improvements in terms of presence and confidence, but they're not at the point yet where they're having stand-out or memorable matches."

Carmella was fluid at times, transitioning seamlessly from move to move. Sometimes, though, the flow of the bout stuttered. When she went from a wheelbarrow to a snap mare, for example, she hesitated too much, looking unsure of herself.

Still, her move set keeps growing. Her matches continue to get better.

It's obvious that her ceiling is high. She just won't be reaching it in a hurry.

Predictions

WWE is going to call up at least one female prospect who isn't quite ready for the main roster.

Nia Jax, Bliss and Carmella all need more seasoning. But with WWE needing to fill a roster for two shows after Raw and SmackDown split in July, the company is sure to bring in one of those women ahead of schedule.

Credit: WWE.com

Nakamura vs. Finn Balor will outdo Nakamura vs. Sami Zayn.

There is already more of a buildup, and a better story. Zayn vs. Nakamura was sold as The King of Strong Style's arrival, with little added narrative. Balor and Nakamura's battle is shaping up to be a clash of two men looking to prove themselves, the Japanese star promising to take down an NXT icon.

Nakamura told fans Wednesday, "I'm going to give you guys something sensational." He will prove prophetic come July 13.