WWE NXT Takeover 4: Superstars Who Will Most Improve Stock at 'Rival'

WWE NXT Takeover: Rival will be a showcase of the overshadowed.

While Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens will do the headline-creating, it will be prospects such as Bull Dempsey who make the most upward movement. Zayn and Adrian Neville have already demonstrated that they are among NXT's best. Owens, even after just being around for such a short time, is on that list as well.

Wrestlers still establishing themselves will shine at the latest Takeover special.

For Dempsey, his longest, most high-profile match awaits. For Hideo Itami, the live event comes just as he is finding his footing in his new home. Bayley, meanwhile, will get a chance to prove that she belongs on the same level as Sasha Banks and Charlotte.

Bull Dempsey

Dempsey's biggest bouts have all been abridged narratives. His battle with Mojo Rawley at NXT Takeover: Fatal 4-Way lasted just over one minute, per ProFightDB.com. His previous showdowns with Baron Corbin finished quickly as well.

That's partly because those first meetings were the precursor to this one.

Dempsey now faces Corbin in a No Disqualification match. The stipulation and the placement in their rivalry suggest that it will go longer and give both men a chance to impress.

So far, it has been Corbin who has thrived the most in their series. Corbin's electric presence led to that. The longer the latest bout goes, though, the better Dempsey will look.

He is the more experienced of the two, the ring general who is going to have to lead the action. Dempsey's in-ring storytelling skills and his superior mat technique will allow him to catch the audience's eye more.

Corbin is the favorite to win this battle, but for Dempsey, it will be more about standing out despite being the big man's latest victim. Count on him doing just that. This is his best opportunity in the spotlight to date.

Bayley

Banks and Charlotte have been able to perform on Main Event, NXT TV and Takeover: R Evolution together. Each of those collisions cemented their positions as No. 1 and No. 2 in the Divas division, respectively.

It's Bayley's turn for a standout performance.

A knee injury took her out of action for a few weeks, allowing Banks and Charlotte to dominate the spotlight. Bayley will now get a crack at the NXT Women's Championship in a Fatal 4-Way that includes Banks, Charlotte and Becky Lynch.

Bayley looked tremendous in her last title bout. Her loss to Charlotte was an emotional ride, a display of both women's promise in what was a fun, engaging match.

Adding Banks and Lynch to the mix means more talent to work against. The Fatal 4-Way stipulation is a novel one for the Divas. That will make this more memorable as well.

It's also highly likely that Bayley walks away as champ. Banks and Charlotte may both be heading to the main roster. That's evident by how often they have worked shows like Raw and been asked to be part of WWE live events lately.

Putting the title on Bayley allows those women to move up. That victory, especially considering the strong connection she has with the NXT crowd right now, will create a lasting image on her resume. 

Things are setting up well for this major at-bat. Like she did at NXT Takeover: Fatal 4-Way, count on her stepping up to the plate and delivering.

Hideo Itami

Fans are beginning to see the Itami who made his name in Japan.

Moving over to NXT from Pro Wrestling Noah has proved a difficult transition. Itami went from being a stunning in-ring performer with thunderous strikes to a more hesitant version of himself.

Over time, he has seemed to grow more comfortable at Full Sail University. Last week's clash with Finn Balor showed that off.

More confidence, smooth mat work and a more exciting energy overall were the highlights of his best NXT performance to date.

This is no outlier either. This is simply his talent rising to the surface in a new environment.

He faces Tyler Breeze at NXT Takeover: Rival in a match that will threaten to steal the show. Breeze is an underrated performer looking to prove himself just as much as anyone on the card. Both he and Itami sit on a lower tier than Zayn and Neville.

In attempting to catch up to them, they are going to put on a stellar performance.

With the time that Itami has had to adjust to the WWE style, going up against a quality opponent, with minimal pressure on him, the safe bet is that the kick-happy star will have his best NXT bout thus far. He is set to show fans unfamiliar with his work in Japan just why there was so much hoopla around his arrival.