WWE NXT Big Board: Updated Prospect Rankings and Analysis for January 16

A pair of rhinos collided on Wednesday's WWE NXT. One looked unsure in battle; the other exuded stardom.

Most of Bull Dempsey's and Baron Corbin's matches have barely lasted longer than a knock-knock joke. When they stepped into the ring against each other, it was an opportunity to see which steamrolling bruiser most drew in the crowd.

The night also saw Finn Balor impress against Tyson Kidd, a quartet of Divas fail to improve their stock and both Adrian Neville and Sami Zayn remind us why they have sat atop NXT for so long now.

The following looks at which of WWE developmental's talents are most ready for a move to the main roster, as well as who would most thrive there. Ring work, mic ability, look, size, gimmick and charisma all play roles in determining the order.

As always, only prospects who have debuted on TV are considered.

The Superstars

Rank	Wrestler	Height/Weight	Notes
1.	Sami Zayn	6'1'', 205 lbs	Great connection with the crowd, long list of great matches, good athlete, fun move set.
2.	Adrian Neville	5'10'', 194 lbs	Top-notch athlete, great high-flyer, good build, improving as a talker.
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	Good presence, athletic, marketable look, exciting energy in ring, has high ceiling.
5.	Tyler Breeze	6'0'', 190 lbs	Works gimmick extremely well, athletic, quick, move set lacks versatility.
6.	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.
7.	Baron Corbin	6'8'', 275 lbs	Rare level of presence, great look and size, ring work still raw.
8.	Bull Dempsey	6'2'', 300 lbs	Talented mic worker, aggressive, surprisingly athletic, needs seasoning in ring.
9.	Colin Cassady	6'10'', 276 lbs	Great size, charismatic, good connection with crowd, one-dimensional in the ring.
10.	Kalisto	5'6'', 170 lbs	Top-tier high-flyer, incredibly agile and quick, size is an issue.
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.

Bull vs. Wrecking Ball

NXT has long teased the confrontation between Corbin and Dempsey. It was a showcase of two men billed as unstoppable forces, a fight allowing them more time to show off their skills.

Dempsey looked good, but Corbin outshined him.

The action was primarily a brawl, a converging of angry beasts. Dempsey looked hesitant at times. While he had better form with his strikes than his opponent, he didn't create the same kind of electricity that Corbin did.

Corbin's punches were too wide. He opened his fist too soon and ended up tapping his enemy more than clubbing him.

That's something trainers can help him clean up; It's his presence that is what most worth discussing.

He looked more like a star than Dempsey. The way he carried himself and the intensity that emanated from him pulled in the audience's attention more effectively.

The officials were clearly in agreement: They gave Corbin the win after a brief slugfest. 

A Good Bout From Balor

While the majority of prospects are still in search of resume-fattening matches, Balor already has a number of them in his short time with NXT. He added another on Wednesday night, producing a fun piece of work with Kidd.

Bursts of high-flying mixed well with more mat-based action.

A number of his moves forced wows from the crowd, chief among them an enzuigiri to Kidd as the latter stood on the top turnbuckle. The kick showed off Balor's impressive vertical leap.

The Irishman also delivered a beautiful chop to Kidd's chest. While it's a basic move, one that everyone from The Great Khali to Daniel Bryan uses, Balor's has one of the better ones in WWE today.

Intensity flowed through Balor for much of the contest. His theatrical gestures during his entrance spoke to his skills as a showman.

Balor vs. Kidd was no instant classic but rather another indication of what's to come with the former NJPW star.

Neville and Zayn Shore Up Top Spots

Hideo Itami, Balor and Kevin Owens aren't going to unseat Neville and Zayn anytime soon. 

The current NXT champ and the man he beat for the title battled once again, a title bout that acted as an emphatic statement for both men. No other prospects are merging high-flying, technical wrestling and a connection with the NXT faithful as well as these two men are right now.

Everything Zayn does in the ring is soaked with emotion.

His headlock on Neville, as basic a move as you can get, felt like a significant part of an in-ring story. During the hold, the champ looked focused and intense, his recently increased aggression rising to the surface.

Zayn later took a nasty spill where his head smacked against the mat. He amplified the seriousness of the moment with a dazed look and convincing body language.

Neville delivered his own highlights, mostly the kind of electric offense that he's made his trademark. Vicious kicks, landings on his feet after flips and a stellar hurricanrana all elevated the match.

The former titleholder also wore a compelling glare. He is behind Zayn in terms of utilizing facial expressions, but with moments like that, he's showing that he's improving in that department.

When WWE comes calling, looking to add new talent to the main roster, it has two clear options as to who to take first.

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.

An Off Night

Natalya joined the NXT women, aligning with Charlotte for the night. As much talent as there was in the ring, it was a disappointing match.

If the Divas were baseball players, they would have hit foul balls all night. Everybody just seemed off their games. 

At times, Lynch seemed to be waiting around for her opponent to grab her. Her timing was off, but she wasn't alone. Banks and Charlotte, who have been so great against each other of late, weren't as in sync as we're used to seeing.

Credit: WWE.com

Charlotte's strikes weren't crisp, something that has been an issue with her. Banks, meanwhile, showed off perfect form when landing a series of forearms.

A contest that could have allowed Lynch to climb the rankings or Banks to distance herself ended up being a wash.