WWE NXT: Updated Prospect Rankings and Analysis, Predictions for Week of June 2

Time and again, talent stepped up in big moments on Wednesday's episode of WWE NXT.

Ahead of June 8's NXT TakeOver: The End, Scott Dawson wielded a microphone nearly as well as he does a fist, Nia Jax flourished in a main event spot and even Elias Samson took advantage of the spotlight shining down on him, even if just briefly. It was a night of seized opportunities as the build toward the next big NXT event continued.

Dawson continues to elevate his stock. Jax keeps showing flashes of the star she could eventually become.

While WWE officials expect the kind of performance Finn Balor gave on Wednesday night, they have to be pleasantly surprised to see less established names like Dawson and Samson look good when called upon. 

The following is a look at how all those NXT prospects stack up to their peers. Look, charisma, gimmick, ring work and mic skills all helped determine the order of the latest rankings. 

Male Wrestlers

Rank	Wrestler	Height/Weight	Notes
1.	Shinsuke Nakamura	6'2'', 229 lbs	Magnetic presence, hugely over, top-notch performer, charisma overcomes poor English.
2.	Finn Balor	5'11'', 190 lbs	Excellent in the ring, growing as a talker, marketable gimmick.
3.	Samoa Joe	6'2'', 279 lbs	Powerful presence, top-notch intensity, excellent in the ring, strong promos.
4.	Scott Dawson	5'10'', 224 lbs	Showing progress as a talker, compelling bruiser, great tag team psychology.
5.	Chad Gable	5'8'', 187 lbs	Improving as talker, strong connection with crowd, deft in the ring, makes technical wrestling entertaining.
6.	Austin Aries	5'9'', 202 lbs	Ring general, dependable mic-worker.
7.	Jason Jordan	6'3'', 245 lbs	Emotes very well, explosive athlete, high ceiling.
8.	Hideo Itami	5'9'', 182 lbs	Excellent ring work, highly athletic, mic skills are current weakness.
9.	Eric Young	5'11'', 225 lbs	Entertaining, charismatic, works well against a variety of opponents.
10.	Johnny Gargano	5'10'', 190 lbs	Smooth offense, strong ring work, good connection with fans.
11.	Rich Swann	5'6'', 165 lbs	Out-of-this-world athlete, great energy, size could prove an issue.
12.	Tye Dillinger	6'3'', 223 lbs	Popular with NXT crowds, excelling with gimmick, fun presence, solid in the ring.
13.	Shane Thorne	6'1'', 200 lbs	Fun energy, good athlete, strong seller.
14.	Dash Wilder	5'10'', 222 lbs	Unnatural on the mic, best in tag team role, solid bruiser.
15.	Christopher Girard	6'1'', 199 lbs	Good striker, aggressive, dependable ring work.
16.	Buddy Murphy	5'11'', 227 lbs	Athletic, good power, underwhelming charisma, steady in the ring.
17.	Tommaso Ciampa	5'11'', 210 lbs	Overshadowed by Gargano, good aggression, solid in the ring.
18.	Alexander Wolfe	6'2'', 231 lbs	Solid bruiser, skilled striker, gimmick needs work.
19.	Elias Samson	6'0'', 217 lbs	Showing flashes of compelling viciousness, lacking charisma, gimmick needs development.
20.	Nick Miller	6'1'', 227 lbs	Solid in-ring performer, experienced, good tag team psychology.

Prospects just outside the top 20: Sawyer Fulton, Blake, No Way Jose

Talking Heavy and Hitting Hard

The Revival's in-ring prowess is being supplemented with high-quality trash talk. Dawson has steadily improved that part of his game, becoming more and more comfortable in front of a mic.

As Cageside Seats' Sean Rueter put it, "The Revival continues to entertain on the microphone almost as much as they do in the ring, with Dawson being a real standout."

Dawson and Dash Wilder called out American Alpha on Wednesday's show before Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano showed up to jump into the fray. Dawson was the star of the segment, outclassing the other three men in the ring with convincing heel banter.

His partner Wilder overenunciated too often, not emoting enough in the process.

Dawson is the clear leader of this duo, in the ring or out. He's a believable braggart with ample swagger. When he told his foes, "We talk heavy and we hit hard," it felt like it came from him, not off the page of a script.

He makes it harder to doubt him each night. 

Murphy Going Solo

Alexa Bliss left Murphy, as did his tag team partner, Blake. The Australian native also got his first name back. He is now left to fend for himself, a situation that could prove beneficial, as he won't be in Bliss' shadow anymore.

He went to battle on Wednesday night, taking on Tye Dillinger.

The match was fine, but nothing that anyone will be buzzing about. Murphy sold well throughout. He screamed while locked in Dillinger's clutches and wobbled like he was loopy after eating a superkick.

But Murphy didn't stand out here. He generally only does so in brief glimpses.

Splitting from Bliss and Blake will provide opportunity, but chances are the powerhouse won't make a noticeable impact. It's looking more and more like his ceiling will be a role as a midcarder who is prey for more notable predators.

A Nasty Side of The Drifter

If you were busy booing Samson or chanting "Drift away!" as so many of the fans inside Full Sail University were, you might have missed a glimpse of excellence from the struggling Samson.

Credit: WWE.com

For the most part, Samson has been the wrestling equivalent of the color beige. Even against top names like Shinsuke Nakamura, he has failed to create much of a spark.

Against Austin Aries, though, one sequence hinted at what Samson could morph into eventually.

While on offense, The Drifter slugged Aries and bashed with him with hard stomps. Every move had purpose and urgency. He roared mid-battle, showing more presence than he has to date. 

That was the most exciting stretch he has ever shown. That's the version of him that has a chance to move up the ladder. Officials have to find a way to coax that beast out of him more often.

The raving, intense side of Samson is miles better than the standard, brooding one.

Female Wrestlers

Rank	Wrestler	Height	Notes
1.	Asuka	5'3''	Magnetic presence, strong connection with crowd, top-notch ring work, great showmanship.
2.	Bayley	5'6''	Excellent in-ring storyteller, stellar connection with crowd, Daniel Bryan-like aura on the mic.
3.	Alexa Bliss	5'2''	Superb heel, vicious, superb presence.
4.	Nia Jax	6'0''	Strong presence, inconsistent intensity, ring work needs fine-tuning, great power.
5.	Carmella	5'5''	Improving ring work, charismatic, likable personality.
6.	Peyton Royce	5'7''	Has developed character, strong ring work, aggressive.
7.	Aliyah	5'2''	Eye-catching intensity, highly athletic, comfortable as a heel.
8.	Eva Marie	5'8''	Marked improvement in the ring, star presence, still a work in progress.
9.	Liv Morgan	5'4''	Showing lots of potential, good energy, strong showmanship.
10.	Billie Kay	5'8''	Solid in the ring, underwhelming presence, gimmick still in progress.

Seizing the Moment

Jax's path continues to be an up-and-down one. She brims with potential but is still raw, still learning the nuances of the mat game. But when NXT asked her and Asuka to main event Wednesday's show, she most certainly looked like she belonged in that spot.

The contract signing for the NXT Women's Championship was intense, enthralling and just what the feud needed.

Jax mocked her foe, giving off a bully vibe. She told the champ, "You beat Bayley; I broke Bayley."

While one could nitpick her delivery, that moment certainly delivered. Jax's presence elevated the showdown. She was intimidating and irritating, just as a heel in her position should be.

Improvement is still needed in and out of the ring before she can slide toward the main roster and thrive, but this was the kind of performance that hints at a high ceiling for the powerhouse.

Predictions 

TakeOver: The End will be the end of Balor's run at NXT. After losing to Samoa Joe, he will be free to move to the main roster just in time for the upcoming draft.

Balor has long been ready to move on from NXT. He's just been sticking around to provide star power for the brand. With Joe as champ, Nakamura in a top spot and guys like Aries and Bobby Roode aboard, WWE can go ahead and slide him over to Raw or SmackDown.

The company announced on Wednesday's NXT that Andrade "Cien" Almas (formerly La Sombra) will be debuting at next week's TakeOver special.

It won't be a surprise to anyone who has seen his work in Mexico, but Almas will be successful right away at NXT. He has the presence and ring acumen to jump right into the spotlight and become one of the brand's most intriguing names.

It seems WWE recognizes that, making his arrival more momentous via recent vignettes and holding his debut at a TakeOver event.