WWE NXT Big Board: Updated Prospect Rankings and Analysis for May 8

The latest movement on the WWE NXT big board is a reminder that success in the squared circle is largely determined by the electricity a wrestler creates when he walks into a room. Call it presence, "it" factor or whatever you like, but it's what separates stars from standard-issue grapplers.

Bull Dempsey didn't show much of it in a quick loss. The tag team champs are struggling to produce it. Sami Zayn, meanwhile, has a healthy supply of that key element.

That's why he'll soon be departing NXT for good while others look to push past their peers and take his spot atop the developmental brand's hierarchy.

The race to the top in the Divas division gets closer each week. Becky Lynch is forcing her way into the discussion for NXT's most promising female. She continued her recent progress on Wednesday's NXT.

The following is a look at which of NXT's talents are poised to make the biggest impact on the main roster and who is making the strongest argument to be promoted. A cocktail of traits determine the rankings: charisma, look, ring work, mic skills, gimmick and presence. 

Only prospects who have had their in-ring debuts are considered. That leaves Uhaa Nation out of the conversation for now.

The Superstars

Rank	Wrestler	Height/Weight	Notes
1.	Sami Zayn	6'1'', 205 lbs	NXT's best seller, tremendous connection with the crowd, highly athletic, fun move set.
2.	Kevin Owens	6'0", 266 lbs	Top-notch brawler, good actor, intimidating presence, NXT's best talker.
3.	Finn Balor	5'11'', 179 lbs	Fantastic athlete, high-level showman, fluid ring work, needs to show more of his personality.
4.	Hideo Itami	5'9'', 182 lbs	Not as many standout matches as top-tier prospects, excellent striker, showing more charisma, getting more comfortable at NXT.
5.	Baron Corbin	6'8'', 275 lbs	Raw prospect with high ceiling, great presence, showing promise on the mic.
6.	Tyler Breeze	6'0'', 190 lbs	Good in the ring, works gimmick really well, not coming off as big of a star as his peers.
7.	Solomon Crowe	5'10'', 207 lbs	Top-flight striker, good energy, standout look, well-rounded.
8.	Bull Dempsey	6'2'', 300 lbs	Inconsistent intensity, explosive, strong mic work, good brawler.
9.	Enzo Amore	5'11'', 200 lbs	Rare level of presence, charisma is off the charts, ring work is subpar, better suited as a manager.
10.	Colin Cassady	6'10'', 276 lbs	Great size, good charisma, has only shown limited move set.
11.	Jason Jordan	6'3'', 245 lbs	Good athlete, marketable look, solid ring work, becoming more aggressive.
12.	Simon Gotch	6'1'', 221 lbs	Works gimmick well, high-level showman, good use of facial expressions, has yet to have standout match.
13.	Aiden English	6'3'', 215 lbs	Charismatic, works gimmick well, acting background aids him, average in the ring.
14.	Buddy Murphy	5'11'', 227 lbs	Struggling to stand out, explosive athlete, good build.
15.	Scott Dawson	5'10'', 224 lbs	Excellent mat worker, underwhelming as a heel, fits better as part of tag team, lacks "it" factor.
16.	Tye Dillinger	6'3'', 223 lbs	Good showman, solid ring worker, gimmick beginning to come together.
17.	Wesley Blake	6'1'', 240 lbs	Solid athlete, lacks star aura, ring work unpolished at times, showing more aggression recently.
18.	Chad Gable	5'8'', 185 lbs	High-level technical wrestler, unproven on mic, size is an issue.
19.	Mojo Rawley	6'4'', 290 lbs	Great athletic potential, very raw and limited in the ring, one-dimensional on the mic.
20.	Dash Wilder	5'10'', 222 lbs	Strong ring work, good build, below-average charisma.

Prospects just outside the top 20: Angelo Dawkins, Marcus Louis and Sawyer Fulton.

Fading Bull

WWE appears to be losing faith in Dempsey. He has gone from steamroller to the man suffering the flattening.

His quality mic work hasn't changed. His strong brawling ability hasn't diminished. It's a lack of spark that is slowing his move toward the main roster.

Credit: WWE.com

On Wednesday night, he clashed with Rhyno in a mostly one-sided bout. While officials didn't do him any favors by putting him in such a short outing, Dempsey failed to maximize his moments. He wasn't intense or aggressive enough.

On the other side of the ring, Rhyno snarled; his energy crackled. Dempsey was far too subdued in comparison. 

Dempsey is a far better worker than a guy like Baron Corbin but is not nearly the star that Corbin is now. Turning up the dial on his intensity will help change that.

Zayn Further Cements Top Spot

A vacancy at the top is coming. Zayn receivd a shot to showcase himself on Monday's Raw and looked fantastic in the process.

In his match against John Cena on Monday night, Zayn looked like he belonged on the big stage. His hometown crowd certainly aided him, but his usual mastery of creating sympathy and his high-voltage offense got the wider audience's attention.

He now looks poised to slide into the big time, with only an injured shoulder to stop him.

His impending exit creates a chance for Kevin Owens, Finn Balor and others to prove to NXT officials that they are the best things going at Full Sail University. Expect Owens to make one hell of a case for himself.

Other Notes

Uhaa Nation appeared on the latest NXT. There was no mention of his name. William Regal welcomed him and had him sign a contract on the air.

WWE is clearly not wasting time with him. This signals that he is going to be competing on TV pronto. When he does, he's going to shake up the rankings in a big way; he's a massive talent.

Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder are no longer going by The Mechanics. They aren't going to do much at NXT without a clear presentation of who they are. Generic tough guys just aren't going to cut it. 

Hideo Itami wasn't especially impressive against Tyler Breeze. That adds an OK match to a collection that ranges from fine to fantastic.

Neville seemed to deliver at least a B-plus match every night. Zayn and Owens make every bout feel special, but Itami isn't doing that as regularly as those guys. 

The Divas

Rank	Wrestler	Height	Notes
1.	Sasha Banks	5'5''	Excellent showmanship, polished ring work, mic work feels slightly forced at times.
2.	Charlotte	5'10''	Strong seller, huge upside, great presence, athletic, excellent in the ring.
3.	Becky Lynch	5'6''	Continues to find her voice, smooth ring work, presence is growing.
4.	Bayley	5'6''	Uses facial expressions well, excellent connection with crowd, ring work needs fine-tuning.
5.	Carmella	5'5''	Great presence, charismatic, raw/limited in the ring.
6.	Alexa Bliss	5'1''	Ring inexperience showing, good energy/presence, solid talker.
7.	Dana Brooke	5'3''	Impressive athlete, unpolished showmanship, overacting during interviews.

Lynch's Momentum Continues

Becky Lynch was again the story of the women's division on NXT.

After trying on a variety of personae including a dancing Irishwoman gimmick, she's beginning to dig into a part of her that is most compelling.

WWE recapped her wrestling career and showed off her passion in a pre-taped promo. She looked more like a badass and came off as easier to root for than she has in the past. Ditching the ill-fitting gimmicks has been great for her.

Her confidence appears to be growing. Each week, she feels more like a star in the making. 

During the contract signing, she had a slow start. Her speech had little life early on but picked up. It began to feel more heartfelt and had more energy as it went on.

In about two weeks, an NXT Women's Championship match awaits her. That title bout against Banks at NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable is for more than the gold; it's also her shot to announce that she should be on the same tier as Charlotte and Sasha Banks.