Stock Up, Stock Down for WWE NXT Prospects After Sept. 4

A batch of less familiar names most improved their stock on the first WWE NXT in September.

NXT Takeover 2 may belong to the top prospects, but this night was more of a showcase for those who were trying to catch up to them. Alexa Bliss and Tye Dillinger made cases for more screen time. Aiden English did the same.

A few over-the-top antics and some feistiness backstage from The Drama King reminded us why he was once on the short list of top NXT talents.

Sami Zayn didn't leave as strong an impression. It won't hurt him, though. He has several months' worth of greatness to lean back on.

Before the third-ever NXT live special offers opportunities for others to make a name for themselves and before Kenta makes his debut, the fight to climb the WWE developmental ladder produced some intriguing results on September 4. 

Alexa Bliss: Stock Up

Bliss made major progress in a loss against the NXT women's champion.

The raw talent showed off some impressive athleticism and an increased ability to harness the nuances of pro wrestling. The former came in the form of a swift head-scissors takedown and a flip off the ropes.

At times, she bounded around the ring. Her movements were often graceful and fluid.

Credit: WWE.com

Some moments reminded us that she's still in the learning stages, but Bliss, like Charlotte did before her, seems to make huge strides each week.

She worked her bubbly gimmick into the match, grinning in mid-battle on a few occasions.

Another small bit of showmanship came early in the bout. Charlotte clocked her in the jaw, and Bliss drew fans in with her response. She held her chin and squeezed her face in what seemed like genuine pain.

If that wasn't a result of an accidentally stiff blow, then Bliss is upping her selling game.

Sami Zayn: Stock Even

Zayn is human after all.

He has spent the majority of his NXT run wowing the audience and showing officials that he would thrive on the main roster. He didn't falter on Thursday's NXT as much as he didn't impress the way he normally does.

In a backstage interview, he talked about wanting to pin the champion at NXT Takeover 2. It was not a great promo, powered only by a C-level amount of charisma.

He's been better on the mic in the past, coming off as more likable and compelling. That wasn't the case here or in the ring later that night.

All four men who are set to battle for the NXT title on Sept. 11 were in warm-up action on Thursday. Tyler Breeze, Adrian Neville and Tyson Kidd outdid Zayn in their respective matches.

His matchup against Marcus Louis had few memorable moments. When one reflects back on this edition of NXT, it's more likely that Neville's high-flying, Breeze's aggression or Kidd's smugness will come to mind first. Zayn wasn't his usual electric self.

He'll soon get a chance to make us forget an OK night when he headlines NXT Takeover. Expect him to blossom under the spotlight.

That's been his modus operandi so far.

Tye Dillinger: Stock Up 

With his old tag team partner Jason Jordan not around, Dillinger came through with his most impressive outing to date. He faced Breeze in a short, mostly one-sided match.

Dillinger, though, maximized the opportunity.

He displayed a swagger and an edge that had been missing in the past. When he wrenched Breeze's arm in a wrist lock or stomped on him, he came off as more dangerous than he has before. He was more compelling too.

Fans like Mister Grimm, Patrick King and Dakota Hawkins took notice:

"

Whoa, Tye Dillinger, that was actually an impressive entrance, Nice charisma. #WWENXT

— Dakota Hawkins (@ExTremePunk29) September 5, 2014"

In addition, he sold one of Breeze's kicks extremely well.

Dillinger didn't suddenly become a must-watch force in the ring, but he showed signs of a spark that has been too rare up to now. A clear heel role would suit him well, allowing him an avenue to let out more of that nasty side.

CJ Parker: Stock Down

Parker had a good match. He sold well and was fiery at points in his battle with Neville. His stock falls, though, partially because of crowd reaction.

Fans can throw around negative chants at the wrong people, but WWE officials have to question why Parker earned "CJ's boring" and "CJ's garbage" chants while working a main event. Is this just a case of snarky fans hijacking a show, or did the audience reveal that it has rejected Parker?

It's probably a little bit of both.

Parker has struggled to connect with fans. He's a good athlete and a solid mat worker, but the bridge between him and the crowd isn't well-constructed.

His promo following the match was a lot like his ring work—fine but nothing special. 

In the days of territorial promotions, Parker would have found a good home somewhere. At NXT, though, the talent level is just too concentrated. He hasn't been able to move closer to men like Zayn and Neville.

Now Kevin Steen, Fergal Devitt and Kenta will soon be charging past him as well.

Aiden English: Stock Up

As fun as The Vaudevillains gimmick has been, it's dimmed the spotlight on English in a way. He hasn't been singing as much and has to share the stage with both his partner Simon Gotch and the gimmick itself.

Thursday's NXT showed English stomping on that stage and forcing the audience to pay attention to him.

Before the finals of the tag team tournament, English was the star of his team's backstage interview. He was smug, elegant and magnetic. 

Those traits continued once the bout against Sin Cara and Kalisto began. English was often the wrestler that demanded the most focus from the crowd. That's hard to do when competing against a dynamo like Kalisto.

English held his arm behind his back in exaggerated fashion, playing up his persona. He held up his dukes like some character out of a silent movie.

Beyond those welcome, subtle touches, there seemed to be an urgency to his ring work. His strikes were crisp; his offense was snappy.

Against the luchadores, he looked like he was ready to start climbing to the top tier of WWE developmental. NXT is an increasingly crowded place, and it's going to take some hearty belting to stand out.