WWE NXT Big Board: Updated Prospect Rankings and Analysis for January 2

The women on the main roster have to be nervous: The WWE NXT Divas continue to show that they are ready to take over.

Charlotte and Sasha Banks aren't just going to move up but are also going to contend for the top spot on the company's big stage and inevitably push some Divas out. Both women showed off the kind of engaging, skilled ring work that has the potential to revolutionize WWE women's wrestling.

Carmella is much further away from making noise on the main roster. Still, she is a prospect to watch, as fans saw on Thursday's NXT.

As for the men, Tye Dillinger made progress despite his not getting the kind of attention from WWE Creative that his peers are. Then again, he has to be thankful that he's not getting turned into a sight gag like The Ascension are.

The following is a look at which of NXT's wrestlers are most main-roster-ready and have shown that they would make the biggest impacts after making that upward move. Rankings are based on in-ring skill, mic work, gimmick, charisma, look and "it" factor. 

Only prospects who have debuted on NXT TV are considered. Sorry, Solomon Crowe.

The Superstars

Rank	Wrestler	Height/Weight	Notes
1.	Sami Zayn	6'1'', 205 lbs	Best all-around prospect, great connection with crowd, stellar athlete.
2.	Adrian Neville	5'10'', 194 lbs	Great high-flyer, produces great matches, good build, continues to improve on the mic
3.	Kevin Owens	6'0, 266 lbs	Compelling brawler, unconventional look, top-tier talker, consistently delivers in the ring.
4.	Finn Balor	5'11'', 179 lbs	Fluid, top-notch athlete, good look, huge upside.
5.	Tyler Breeze	6'0'', 190 lbs	Agile, quick, charismatic, good on the mic, maximizing gimmick.
6.	Hideo Itami	5'9'', 182 lbs	Athletic, experienced, history of standout matches, English-language skills improving.
7.	Bull Dempsey	6'2'', 300 lbs	Explosive, aggressive, good brawler, high-level mic worker.
8.	Colin Cassady	6'10'', 276 lbs	Great size, charismatic, good connection with crowd, one-dimensional in the ring.
9.	Kalisto	5'6'', 170 lbs	Top-tier high-flyer, incredibly agile and quick, size is an issue.
10.	Baron Corbin	6'8'', 275 lbs	Great size and look, rare presence, raw and unproven in the ring.
11.	Enzo Amore	5'11'', 200 lbs	Poor in the ring, elite on the mic, extremely charismatic and funny, better suited as a manager.
12.	Viktor	6'2'', 219 lbs	Quality ring worker, can both brawl and mat wrestle, above-average mic skills.
13.	Konnor	6'4'', 265 lbs	Explosive for a big man, intense, one-dimensional on mic.
14.	Simon Gotch	6'1'', 221 lbs	Works gimmick well, charismatic, exhibits high-level showmanship, has yet to have standout match.
15.	Aiden English	6'3'', 215 lbs	Solid but not spectacular in the ring, charismatic, acting background aids him.
16.	Buddy Murphy	5'11'', 227 lbs	Explosive, surprisingly athletic, powerful, has marketable look.
17.	Jason Jordan	6'3'', 245 lbs	Athletic, marketable look, smooth in ring, has amateur background.
18.	Scott Dawson	5'10'', 224 lbs	Excellent brawler and ring worker, lacks "it" factor.
19.	Tye Dillinger	6'3'', 223 lbs	Below-average athlete, good seller, adept at in-ring psychology, lacking gimmick/persona.
20.	CJ Parker	6'3'', 220 lbs	Solid and dependable in the ring, good-not-great talker, works gimmick well.

Prospects just outside the top 20: Dash Wilder, Wesley Blake, Mojo Rawley.

Tye Dillinger, Sans Gimmick

WWE doesn't seem to know what to do with Dillinger. While his tag team partner has been working with Shoot Nation at NXT house shows, Dillinger is in gimmick limbo.

He's a talented wrestler who understands the nuances of the business. Up against The Lucha Dragons, he showed off his selling ability, in-ring psychology and general comfort with the medium.

He delighted in his foe's pain when he hit a big chop. He cranked back Kalisto's arm with great intensity. 

These moments and his overall ability on the mat will have the company looking for a spot to insert him. Jason Jordan is a better athlete with more "it" factor, but Dillinger can be a valuable contributor to a roster.

However, he will need a persona that stands out more. His current nondescript act will struggle to catch on.

The Ascension Fail to Rise 

Viktor and Konnor lost something in translation, as their Raw debut presented a far less palatable version of the former NXT tag champs. 

A big part of that is on WWE. It turned the dial up on their gimmick, revving it toward ridiculous territory. The Ascension donned sci-fi shoulder pads, red face paint and The Misfits-inspired hair. Their entrance didn't have the fog it normally has, either.

The Ascension also looked uncomfortable in the glare of the spotlight. They seemed tentative throughout their short match against The Miz and Damien Mizdow.

Their strikes were softer than normal, and their moves in general came off as less destructive.

On Thursday's NXT, both men looked better, but they could still stand to crank up the intensity on their strikes. In the early part of their rematch against Hideo Itami and Finn Balor, they simply didn't hit hard enough.

Balor left red marks across Viktor's chest. The Ascension, on the other hand, seemed to be holding back.

As the bout progressed, Viktor hit a thunderous uppercut, and Konnor shook the ring when he slammed Balor.

This is what we need to see from this pair the next time they get a chance on the main roster.

WWE officials need to scale back their gimmick, but there's no guarantee they will. The Ascension can't control that. They can, though, make sure to leave a bigger impression by emulating wrecking balls in the ring.

Other Notes

Itami once again teased hitting the GTS, riling up the crowd in the process. Should WWE let him bring that finisher over from Japan, it's going to benefit him in a big way. 

It's an effective move to cap off a battle and one that suits him well. It beat the spin kick he used to win on Thursday night by miles. The company, though, has to be concerned about inciting "CM Punk!" chants despite Itami having used it before Punk.

Colin Cassady didn't get a chance to impress in the ring but showed off his comic timing when introducing Blue Pants. Big Cass was really funny and clearly having fun out there. 

That kind of performance is going to make it easy for him to connect with the crowd on the main roster.

Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens both did well in their pre-taped interviews. Zayn continues to approach promos in a subdued, realistic way. Owens was effectively smug and dismissive of Renee Young.

Owens is ahead of Zayn in terms of mic skills, but the NXT champ is more than serviceable at this point. This feud will bring the best out in Zayn, giving him a chance to show more of his range.

The Divas

Rank	Wrestler	Height	Notes
1.	Sasha Banks	5'5''	Ring general, polished in the ring, thrives as a heel, gimmick will work well on main roster.
2.	Charlotte	5'10''	Elite presence, natural magnetism, good charisma, continues to improve in the ring at a rapid rate.
3.	Bayley	5'6''	Charismatic, works her gimmick well, connects with the crowd, ring work could be crisper.
4.	Becky Lynch	5'6''	Experienced in the ring, solid charisma, athletic, not as much presence as top Divas.
5.	Carmella	5'5''	Good presence, still raw in the ring, athletic.
6.	Alexa Bliss	5'1''	Improving in the ring, athletic, fun energy, marketable look.

Carmella's Sparks

WWE won't have any issues selling Carmella's act. She's sassy, sexy and vicious in the ring. There's an electricity surrounding her as well.

She went up against the visiting Blue Pants (Leva Bates) once again on Thursday's NXT. While Carmella is not as experienced or polished as her rival, her presence makes her more valuable.

Blue Pants is the better wrestler; Carmella is the bigger star.

Credit: WWE.com

In the short match, she stepped on Blue Pants' hair and attacked her with a compelling amount of intensity. Many of the Divas on the main roster overact while trying to show mercilessness. Carmella is hitting the right notes so far in that department.

Sasha Banks, Charlotte Notes

Banks and Charlotte are not only a good distance away from the rest of the NXT Divas but continue to prove that they are among WWE's most talented women in general.

On the last NXT of 2014, Banks and Charlotte battled on what was otherwise a recap show. It was a tremendous match. They followed that up with another impressive clash on Tuesday's Main Event.

Both women are smooth in the ring. Both force one to pay attention to them. Both have great upside.

Charlotte's star power will get her a full-time gig on the main roster before Banks. But the woman who calls herself The Boss is a more reliable in-ring worker and a better overall talent.

On Main Event, Charlotte issued a series of sloppy forearms and a clothesline that didn't quite connect. She was just a step below Banks in terms of crispness.

Banks, meanwhile, transitioned beautifully from a Backstabber to a submission hold where she yanked the NXT women's champ's arms backward. This kind of in-ring prowess is going to get Banks noticed in a division with so many below-average mat workers.

She will be colliding with Charlotte for much of her career, looking to get as much attention as her rival with the more famous last name.