WWE NXT Big Board: Updated Prospect Rankings and Analysis for June 12

It took just one outing and one battered opponent for Samoa Joe to find his way near the top of the WWE NXT big board.

This wasn't his first appearance at Full Sail University, but Wednesday's NXT marked his first in-ring action with the developmental brand. And now the discussion of where he belongs amid a group of talented wrestlers begins.

It's hard to describe Joe as a prospect. He had been a top star for TNA for years and was the centerpiece of Ring of Honor's early years. Putting him in the same group as a guy who is still learning the craft, like Baron Corbin, feels odd.

In addition, it's also unclear what WWE's plans are for The Samoan Submission Machine. Is he going to just make a pit stop here and then quickly jump onto the main roster? Or is he going to provide a veteran presence on NXT and not leave for Raw and SmackDown at all?

Keeping all that in mind, it's still certain that Joe belongs on NXT's top tier. 

His arrival pushes other prospects down the list. Mojo Rawley and Bull Dempsey, meanwhile, fell for another reason: They came off as jokes on Wednesday's show. Each of those men has traveled in the wrong direction, looking like less convincing prospects.

The following is a look at where they, Joe and others stack up in terms of having the brightest futures with WWE. Ring work, mic skills, gimmick, charisma and look all help determine the rankings.

Note: Owens is still listed as an NXT prospect here despite recent appearances on the main roster. He is expected to officially make the jump soon but is still listed as an NXT wrestler on WWE.com.

Male Wrestlers

Rank	Wrestler	Height/Weight	Notes
1.	Kevin Owens	6'0", 266 lbs	Elite presence, strong mic work, top-notch in-ring storyteller.
2.	Sami Zayn	6'1'', 205 lbs	Excellent showman, fun move set, inconsistent on the mic.
3.	Finn Balor	5'11'', 179 lbs	Gimmick taking shape, smooth performer, good presence, unproven talker.
4.	Samoa Joe	6'2'', 279 lbs	Adept at submission wrestling, explosive, intense on the mic, his age (36) brings his ranking down some.
5.	Baron Corbin	6'8'', 275 lbs	Expanding in-ring repertoire, tremendous presence, plenty of "it" factor, great look.
6.	Tyler Breeze	6'0'', 190 lbs	Newer moves awkward for now, works gimmick extremely well, quick, good showmanship.
7.	Hideo Itami	5'9'', 182 lbs	Making progress as mic worker, not as many standout matches as top-tier prospects, electric in-ring work.
8.	Solomon Crowe	5'10'', 207 lbs	Strong character, high-level mic work, unique in-ring style.
9.	Enzo Amore	5'11'', 200 lbs	Showing improvement as a wrestler, highly charismatic, great presence.
10.	Jason Jordan	6'3'', 245 lbs	Presence is growing, stellar athlete, good look, high ceiling.
11.	Colin Cassady	6'10'', 276 lbs	Charismatic, powerful, moves well for his size.
12.	Bull Dempsey	6'2'', 300 lbs	Current gimmick is ill-fitting, good brawler, inconsistent striker, strong mic work.
13.	Simon Gotch	6'1'', 221 lbs	Good connection with crowd, standout showman, underwhelming in the ring.
14.	Scott Dawson	5'10'', 224 lbs	Versatile/dependable ring worker, lacks "it" factor, better suited for tag team role.
15.	Aiden English	6'3'', 215 lbs	Acting background aids him, works gimmick well, struggling to stand out.
16.	Murphy	5'11'', 227 lbs	Explosive, below-average charisma, impressive bursts in the ring.
17.	Tye Dillinger	6'3'', 223 lbs	Solid showman, solid ring worker, gimmick beginning to come together.
18.	Blake	6'1'', 240 lbs	Gimmick needs work, inconsistent striker, good athlete.
19.	Dash Wilder	5'10'', 222 lbs	Strong ring work, good build, below-average charisma.
20.	Mike Rallis	6'2'', 246 lbs	Good striker, explosive, skilled at selling, not standing out yet.

Prospects just outside the top 20: Mojo Rawley, Chad Gable and Marcus Louis.

Bull with a Clown Nose

It's not a great sign of WWE's confidence in Dempsey that it had him shed his bruiser persona to be a snack-happy, out-of-shape comedy wrestler instead.

He's shown plenty of potential as a bruiser, a monster and a man looking to bring smashmouth offense back to the squared circle. Up against Tyler Breeze on Wednesday, his character took a new direction.

As he chased Breeze around the ring, he began to get winded. He winced from cramps and struggled for air. This was all worked. 

Backstage, he gobbled on potato chips as William Regal looked at him in disgust.

With this gimmick, he's not making it out of NXT. It is an anchor tied to his ankle. It doesn't suit him at all and doesn't take advantage of his skills in the least.

Until he goes back to being a snarling beast in the ring again, we can't consider him a top prospect.

Mojo Rawley Devolving 

After a long absence, the hyped one charged back into action. Fans wondered how much his gimmick would change and what progress he would make during his recovery time. 

Rather than address his weaknesses, though, he has apparently only amplified them.

Teaming with Zack Ryder against Elias Samson and Mike Rallis, Rawley was twice as goofy as normal. He shimmied in the ring and hammed it up to the crowd, making his already silly gimmick worse. Rawley looked too much like a cheap Scotty Too Hotty knockoff. 

His move set was an issue in the past as well. It wasn't varied enough, and he had too many ridiculous moves that didn't look painful. His Wednesday bout didn't show any progress in either area.

Instead, he added a dopey-looking spinning slap.

His trainers need to tell him that just turning up the volume on everything isn't working. As good of an athlete as he is, he has no chance of making a significant connection with the crowd without some major improvements across the board.

Samoa Joe Makes the First Mark of Many

Scott Dawson took the first punches Joe threw in NXT. He was the meat thrown out to feed the caged lion. 

In that victory, Joe showed off why WWE signed him. As he stalked Dawson in the ring, Joe's intensity popped on screen. His presence was off the charts, and his glares were fearsome. 

Joe has always been a convincing badass. Like with Kevin Owens before him, NXT officials didn't look to take away who he was pre-WWE. That spelled a smooth transition with Joe bringing his best in his debut.

This was no classic match by any stretch but instead a glimpse of what Joe can do. He makes big fights feel bigger. He makes the audience take notice.

Fans now wait to see whether WWE wants to use those skills to bolster NXT or to add a star in his late 30s to the main roster.

Female Wrestlers

Rank	Wrestler	Height	Notes
1.	Sasha Banks	5'5''	Tremendous in the ring, making big strides as a talker, thrives as heel, complete prospect.
2.	Charlotte	5'10''	Great athlete, high ceiling as in-ring performer, commanding presence, less polished than Banks in the ring.
3.	Becky Lynch	5'6''	Gimmick needs work, proving to be a big-match performer, good submission work.
4.	Bayley	5'6''	Infectious energy, works gimmick well, improving in the ring.
5.	Alexa Bliss	5'1''	Playing a solid heel, awkward at times in the ring, good presence.
6.	Carmella	5'5''	Great presence, charismatic, raw/limited in the ring.
7.	Dana Brooke	5'3''	Overacts, highly athletic, unpolished in the ring, plenty of swagger.
8.	KC Cassidy	5'7''	Good footwork, skilled seller, currently without a gimmick.
9.	Jessie McKay	5'8''	Looked uncomfortable/awkward in her debut, good intensity.

Jessie McKay Joins the Party

The NXT women's division continues to get deeper. This time an Australian indy wrestler added her name to the growing group.

Her match against Becky Lynch was far from her best work, however. She's looked much better in action for Shimmer.

Credit: WWE.com

McKay didn't allow Lynch's moves to affect her enough. She popped up from the mat too soon. She brushed off arm drags too quickly.

Overall, her ring work was awkward. The timing felt off. She seemed uncomfortable in the ring.

This is surprising given her background. Perhaps it was just an off night or a case of nerves getting to her. Either way, she will have to work hard to make a better impression the next time around.

Climbing up the ranks in this loaded division will be tough going, but she's shown glimpses during the pre-WWE portions of her career of being someone to look out for.