WWE NXT Big Board: Updated Prospect Rankings and Analysis for January 9

A trio of WWE NXT prospects are at vastly different stages of their trek to the main roster.

Sami Zayn is on the cusp of stardom at the next level, proving on the latest edition of NXT that he can wield a mic just as well as he can execute a leg lariat. Chad Gable arrived onto the scene, making his TV debut.

Hideo Itami, meanwhile, is not looking like the wrestler who walked into NXT with well-earned hype.

The week reminded us that physical gifts are just part of the Superstar equation. Building that bridge between wrestler and fan is an arduous project. Itami, The Vaudevillains and others are still constructing theirs. Zayn is just adding a layer of paint to his.

The following is a look at which NXT prospects are most main-roster-ready and who would make the biggest impact following a call-up. Factors affecting the rankings include ring work, mic skills, look, size and gimmick.

Only wrestlers who have debuted on TV are considered.

The Superstars

Rank	Wrestler	Height/Weight	Notes
1.	Sami Zayn	6'1'', 205 lbs	Best all-around prospect, great connection with crowd, stellar athlete, showing promise on mic.
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 Baylor	5'11'', 179 lbs	Fluid, top-notch athlete, good look, huge upside.
5.	Tyler Breeze	6'0'', 190 lbs	Works gimmick extremely well, athletic, quick, move set lacks versatility.
6.	Bull Dempsey	6'2'', 300 lbs	Explosive, aggressive, good brawler, high-level mic worker.
7.	Hideo Itami	5'9'', 182 lbs	Highly athletic, ring work hasn't been as good as it was in Japan, great striker, limited English-language skills.
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.	Simon Gotch	6'1'', 221 lbs	Works gimmick well, charismatic, exhibits high-level showmanship, has yet to have standout match.
13.	Buddy Murphy	5'11'', 227 lbs	Explosive, surprisingly athletic, powerful, has marketable look.
14.	Aiden English	6'3'', 215 lbs	Solid but not spectacular in the ring, charismatic, acting background aids him.
15.	Jason Jordan	6'3'', 245 lbs	Athletic, marketable look, smooth in ring, solid technical wrestler.
16.	Scott Dawson	5'10'', 224 lbs	Excellent brawler and ring worker, lacks "it" factor.
17.	Chad Gable	5'8'', 185 lbs	High-level technical wrestler, unproven on mic, size is an issue.
18.	Tye Dillinger	6'3'', 223 lbs	Below-average athlete, good seller, adept at in-ring psychology, lacking gimmick/persona.
19.	CJ Parker	6'3'', 220 lbs	Solid and dependable in the ring, good-not-great talker, works gimmick well.
20.	Mojo Rawley	6'4''. 290 lbs	Athletic big man, great physical tools, limited move set, one-dimensional persona.

Prospects just outside the top 20: Wesley Blake, Dash Wilder, Marcus Louis.

Itami Not the Man We Saw in Japan

When he was still known as KENTA and kicking people in the temple for Pro Wrestling Noah, Itami's ring work crackled with energy. Great matches against guys like Naomichi Marufuji and Takeshi Morishima are in part why NXT fans were so happy to welcome Itami to the family.

He's had good moments since his arrival, but nothing like his resume in Japan.

Against Curtis Axel on Thursday's NXT, he wowed the crowd with a hard flying clothesline. He was quick, athletic and produced a decent bout.

There's something missing, though.

The transition from the stiffer Japanese style is going to take time. And moves like his flurry of slaps don't seem to fit into a WWE setting.

There's also a question of how much casual fans are going to connect with him. They are going to give him a shorter window to impress them, whereas diehard fans familiar with his work know how tremendous he can be when everything is clicking.

His NXT stint is not going to be an easy journey, one where he attempts to transport the magic he created back home.

Zayn Shines on the Mic

WWE knew it had a top-notch in-ring storyteller in Zayn. So many of his matches have been attention-grabbing works of theater.

His charisma and talking skills have been the big question marks.

While he may never be a consistently great worker on the mic, he showed on Thursday night that he can certainly hit the right notes when called upon. In addressing Kevin Owens' attack on him and what winning the NXT title meant to him, Zayn displayed the kind of heart he so often does between the ropes.

Credit: WWE.com

This was his best promo to date.

He came off as genuine, was clearly having fun and struck some powerful emotional chords. It felt a lot like Daniel Bryan's memorable return announcement.

Zayn's performance provides further proof that he should be main-roster-bound soon.

1st Glance at Gable

Tyler Breeze's first match in weeks saw him face an NXT newcomer. His opponent, former Olympic wrestler Chad Gable (real name: Chas Betts), did his part to make sure that we was the one getting people talking after this bout.

Gable's amateur background was obvious from the start. He moved from hold to hold in fluid fashion, taking command of the ring from the opening bell.

His offense wasn't just a display of amateur-style takedowns, though. He threw in an armbar when the two men were caught up in the ropes that added flair to the action.

Credit: WWE.com

He didn't get a chance to show what he can do on the mic and the clash with Breeze didn't last long. That meant that fans only saw a touch of that Gable has to offer.

He looks good so far, although being so much smaller than Jack Swagger and Kurt Angle is going to make it harder to pull off a similar gimmick.

Other Notes

The Ascension move off the rankings, as it looks like its stay on the main roster is for good. It didn't appear on this week's NXT. Instead, it battled a pair of jobbers on SmackDown and steamrolled over another nameless duo on Monday's Raw.

With how WWE has handled its run so far, the outfit may soon wish it was back at Full Sail University, though.

The Vaudevillains took on The Lucha Dragons once more for the NXT titles. It was a better match than they had at NXT Takeover: R Evolution, but nothing special.

Simon Gotch and Aiden English are going to fall behind other teams and other prospects if they don't compose something more memorable in the ring. Their greatest hits collection is bare right now.

English's build makes it hard to be imposing. Even against smaller opponents, he wasn't convincingly dangerous as he stomped away.

Breeze has a lot of things going for him, but he can up his stock by throwing in more moves. He relies a lot on the reverse chinlock, taking up much of his matches with that one hold.

Prince Pretty needs to consult Chris Jericho's list of 1,004 holds for something to borrow.

The Divas

Rank	Wrestler	Height	Notes
1.	Sasha Banks	5'5''	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, becoming mat general, has huge upside.
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.	Alexa Bliss	5'1''	Continues to improve in the ring, athletic, fun energy, marketable look.
6.	Carmella	5'5''	Good presence, still raw in the ring, athletic.

Bliss Getting Better

Carmella has the "it" factor to be the better Diva down the line, but she has some catching up to do in terms of ring work. Alexa Bliss is soaking up what the trainers are telling her and making long strides in terms of her wrestling ability.

She battled Sasha Banks on Thursday's NXT, showing flashes of excellence in the process.

Her selling is improving. When Banks drove her knees into Bliss' gut, the bubbly, blue-haired competitor made sure fans knew how much pain she was going through.

Credit: WWE.com

On offense, she hit a flurry of forearms that looked great. Her aggression, overall, was impressive.

Pitting her against Carmella would be an intriguing move. While it's clear that Banks is miles ahead of Bliss, a showdown between the two rawer talents would give us a better idea of where they are in their progress as grapplers.