WWE NXT Big Board: Updated Prospect Rankings and Analysis for October 15

Despite being rocketed to the top of the list of WWE NXT title contenders, Apollo Crews still has a lot of questions to answer.

His physical gifts alone place him high on the NXT big board, but can he build on that with a strong sense of character, increased charisma and an ability to sell folks on himself when armed with a mic? Can he be a top-notch in-ring storyteller and not a wrestler who just delivers great spots?

Crews will have the opportunity to answer those questions now that he is the No. 1 contender to Finn Balor's NXT title.

The build to that bout assures him the spotlight. The match itself is potentially a place to prove he belongs at the top of the card and is every bit the prospect he seems to be.

Wednesday's NXT also saw Nia Jax debut, immediately shifting the balance of power in the women's division. Alexa Bliss showed off versatility. Sawyer Fulton looked closer to finding himself.

The following is a look at where those prospects and their peers stand in the NXT rankings and who is primed to be the biggest star on the main roster. Ring work, mic skills, look, gimmick, size and charisma all factor in determining the list's ever-shifting order. 

Male Wrestlers

Rank	Wrestler	Height/Weight	Notes
1.	Finn Balor	5'11'', 190 lbs	Excellent showman, highly marketable, "it" factor aplenty, top-notch athlete.
2.	Samoa Joe	6'2'', 279 lbs	Skilled use of facial expressions, stellar presence, versatile in the ring.
3.	Sami Zayn	6'1'', 205 lbs	Superb showman, fun move set, great crowd connection, inconsistent talker.
4.	Apollo Crews	6'1'', 240 lbs	Stellar athlete, good charisma, average on the mic.
5.	Tyler Breeze	6'0'', 190 lbs	Maximizes gimmick, not elite in the ring, good showmanship.
6.	Baron Corbin	6'8'', 275 lbs	Getting closer to reaching full potential, strong presence, good striker.
7.	Colin Cassady	6'10'', 276 lbs	Good movement for big man, intense, strong connection with crowd.
8.	Jason Jordan	6'3'', 245 lbs	Explosive, powerful, good presence.
9.	Hideo Itami	5'9'', 182 lbs	Showing more charisma, making progress as mic worker, electric in the ring.
10.	Solomon Crowe	5'10'', 207 lbs	Excellent striker, good aggression, strong mic work, character in limbo at the moment.
11.	Simon Gotch	6'1'', 221 lbs	Strong sense of character, fun ring work, good presence.
12.	Tye Dillinger	6'3'', 223 lbs	Excelling with current gimmick, good showmanship, smooth ring work.
13.	Chad Gable	5'8'', 187 lbs	Fun to watch in the ring, excellent mat skills, growing presence on interviews.
14.	Bull Dempsey	6'2'', 300 lbs	Turned into a comedy act, good brawler, struggling to make current persona work.
15.	Aiden English	6'3'', 215 lbs	Good showmanship, solid charisma, average in the ring.
16.	Scott Dawson	5'10'', 224 lbs	Skilled tag team wrestler, good in-ring psychology, mic work lacks intensity.
17.	Enzo Amore	5'11'', 200 lbs	Unimpressive ring work, funny, charismatic, better suited for manager role.
18.	Dash Wilder	5'10'', 222 lbs	Strong tag team work, underwhelming on the mic, inconsistent striker.
19.	Sawyer Fulton	6'8'', 285 lbs	Aggressive, solid brawler, still in need of steady gimmick.
20.	Blake	6'1'', 240 lbs	Solid athlete, inconsistent ring work, so-so presence.

Prospects just outside the top 20: Mojo Rawley, Murphy, Steve Cutler

Apollo Crews, No. 1 Contender

His victory in the Battle Royal on Wednesday night displayed all the things that makes Crews such a standout prospect.

His power jumped off the screen. His agility helped make him a star in a crowded ring. When he hit a move, be it something as simple as a dropkick, he forced fans to take notice.

He and Baron Corbin ended up dueling at the bout's end, and Crews looked good when the match turned into more of a slugfest.

Such performances have created expectations high for him. Wrestling Inc even foresees him being like John Cena moving forward: 

The verbal part of Crews' game is less impressive. He talked about his win backstage in a promo that wasn't bad but certainly wasn't special, either.

He comes off as likable but not larger than life. Crews needs to turn up the intensity. He has too much Rocky Maivia in him right now; he's a smiling, straight-laced, vanilla babyface.

That has to change, and he has to evolve in order to sustain what he has begun at NXT.

Sawyer Fulton's Search Continues

Fulton teamed up with Angelo Dawkins for yet another loss. That duo's losses have become as commonplace as Fulton's changing looks.

Every few weeks, his gear is new and his hair's a different color. That's not where he needs to focus on changing things. It's his gimmick that needs work.

Fans do not know who Fulton is. He needs to commit to a character and run with it. That will allow what he does well to make a bigger impact.

Before falling to The Vaudevillains, Fulton beat down Aiden English and Simon Gotch with a series of aggressive shots. He had good intensity and came off like a beast at times.

The chance to show off these skills more often looks to be on its way. He and Dawkins might be close to parting. The powerhouse seemed ready to give up on their alliance if they lose next week.

That's great news for Fulton. That team has the stink of the jobber on it. On his own, he can cultivate his character more, giving WWE a better idea of what it has in him.

Battle Royal Impressions

A Battle Royal is a difficult match to work. There are just so many bodies in a small space that many wrestlers are bound to get pushed to the background.

Mojo Rawley was among those who suffered that fate. He had perhaps the least amount of presence in the bout. A man so dependent on energy and high-impact moves should have stood out more, but the stage swallowed him up.

Murphy made folks take notice with some impressive athleticism. He twice held himself up by the ropes after nearly getting eliminated. He looked mighty good in those brief moments.

Bull Dempsey is still being asked to be more of a comedy wrestler than contender. Corey Graves mocked his ring gear; Dempsey played up his only elimination for laughs.

His gimmick has cost him his edge.

Corbin continues to get better. His strikes were more consistent. He was smoother and more comfortable with being the stalking monster.

Being able to flip out of Samoa Joe's muscle buster and land on his feet was eye-opening as well.

Female Wrestlers

Rank	Wrestler	Height	Notes
1.	Bayley	5'6	Top-notch in-ring storyteller, strong connection with crowd, potential to be WWE's biggest female star.
2.	Asuka	5'3''	Excellent showmanship, infectious energy, great use of facial expressions.
3.	Alexa Bliss	5'1''	Growing presence on mic, can play both face and heel, good athlete.
4.	Nia Jax	6'0''	Powerful, intimidating, ring work doesn't look natural yet.
5.	Dana Brooke	5'3''	Ring work steadily improving, overacts, good athlete.
6.	Carmella	5'5''	Great energy, raw/inconsistent in the ring.
7.	Eva Marie	5'8''	Improving (but still needs major work) in the ring, good look, stilted mic worker.
8.	Billie Kay	5'8''	Good selling, solid in the ring, not standing out.
9.	Peyton Royce	5'7''	Lack of snap to offense, nondescript persona.

Two Sides of Alexa Bliss

Bliss began her confrontation as a sweet, respectful competitor wanting to congratulate the champ. She flipped a switch and turned nasty in an instant.

In mocking and threatening Bayley, Bliss looked more comfortable on the mic than ever. It took a while, but she has now grown into her heel role.

Writer Tom Beasley pointed out how impressive that jump from her previous persona is:

Bliss' versatility makes her highly valuable. She can pull off bubbly babyface and lioness heel in the same promo.

Her ring work now has to catch up with what she's doing on the mic. She hasn't wrestled much on TV lately, perhaps an indication that WWE sees her as more of a manager.

She's shown enough promise between the ropes, though, to suggest that the company shouldn't give up on her as an in-ring performer anytime soon.

Nia Jax's First Display of Destruction

Evie became Jax's first victim, as fans got their first look at the newcomer in action.

There was plenty to take note of here on the positive front. She issued an unsettling warrior cry. Jax was fierce, powerful, intense. You rarely see a female wrestler use a bear hug, and so effectively.

Justin LaBar, host of Chair Shot Reality, had high praise for her:

Jax needs fine-tuning and experience aplenty before we can start having that conversation, though. She seemed unsure of herself at times, not quite comfortable in being the monster she's portraying.  

Her glare isn't where it should be, either. It didn't feel as intense as it should have. That will come in time.

Using facial expressions is an art that takes time to master. 

Jax had an emphatic first act, though. She's unique and fills a niche that the women's division doesn't have. That alone is going to push her up the NXT ladder.