WWE NXT: Updated Prospect Rankings and Analysis, Predictions for Week of July 28

Before doubt about WWE NXT's depth following the draft had any time to linger in fans' minds, in walked Kota Ibushi. WWE replenished the developmental brand's talent pool once more, this time by bringing in a gravity-defying kick artist from Japan.

Ibushi, formerly of New Japan Pro Wrestling and Dramatic Dream Team, debuted on Wednesday's NXT.

He instantly ranks among NXT's top talents. His first outing made it clear that competition for supremacy at Full Sail University will remain tough—even after so many talented prospects left for Raw and SmackDown last week.

The Golden Star first competed for WWE as part of the Cruiserweight Classic tournament. But with that event being a showcase of unsigned guys from around the world, there was no guarantee WWE was going to bring Ibushi aboard as a full-time competitor. 

PWTorch reported Ibushi has "signed an NXT-level deal." The Japanese star then stepped into the NXT jungle on Wednesday night, immediately looking like one of the alpha males.

The following is a look at how he and the rest of the NXT roster stack up against each other. The brand's best prospects are ranked with mic skills, ring work, gimmick, look and charisma determining who lands where.

Male Wrestlers

Rank	Wrestler	Height/Weight	Notes
1.	Shinsuke Nakamura	6'2", 229 lbs	Stellar showmanship, top-notch in-ring performer, charisma overcomes language barrier.
2.	Samoa Joe	6'2", 279 lbs	Great intensity, plays a heel well, strong striker, excellent on the mic.
3.	Kota Ibushi	5'11", 189 lbs	Excellent striker, thrilling high-flyer, magnetic presence.
4.	Scott Dawson	5'10", 224 lbs	Skilled striker, adept at tag team wrestling, much-improved talker, ample standout performances.
5.	Austin Aries	5'9", 202 lbs	Ring general, experienced, strong heel promos.
6.	Hideo Itami	5'9", 182 lbs	High-level ring work, athletic, mic skills are current weakness.
7.	Johnny Gargano	5'10", 190 lbs	Smooth offense, strong ring work, good connection with fans.
8.	Andrade "Cien" Almas	5'9", 210 lbs	Highly athletic, fun showmanship, inconsistent striker.
9.	Tye Dillinger	6'3", 223 lbs	Excellent connection with crowd, emotes well, fun energy, most compelling when intense.
10.	Rich Swann	5'6", 165 lbs	Out-of-this-world athlete, great energy, size could prove an issue.
11.	Shane Thorne	6'1", 200 lbs	Solid athleticism, smooth mat work, strong presence, good showmanship
12.	Dash Wilder	5'10", 222 lbs	Unnatural on the mic, best in tag team role, solid bruiser.
13.	Buddy Murphy	5'11", 227 lbs	Explosive, good power, below average on the mic.
14.	No Way Jose	6'3", 245 lbs	Far more compelling when serious, good intensity, fluid offense, good striking.
15.	Gzim Selmani	6'4", 308 lbs	More presence than his tag team partner, solid intensity, impressive power.
16.	Tommaso Ciampa	5'11", 210 lbs	Strong mat work, solid intensity, lacks top-notch presence.
17.	Oney Lorcan	6'1", 199 lbs	Strong striker, intense, antics can become cartoonish.
18.	Elias Samson	6'0", 217 lbs	Showing flashes of compelling viciousness, lacking charisma, gimmick needs development.
19.	Wesley Blake	6'1", 240 lbs	Solid in the ring, gimmick starting to come together, underwhelming talker.
20.	Sawyer Fulton	6'8", 285 lbs	Aggressive, imposing, still in search of right gimmick.

Prospects just outside the top 20: Alexander Wolfe, Steve Cutler, Sunny Dhinsa

Blake Adds Some Flair

No longer a tag team specialist, Wesley Blake ventured on his own against Shinsuke Nakamura on Wednesday. He entered to new music with red tassels dangling from his cowboy boots. 

These were nice touches to help establish who Blake is.

There needs to be more progress in that direction, though. He's not intriguing enough on his own. A clear, catchy gimmick will be his key to moving up the ranks. 

Against Nakamura, Blake showed flashes of excellence. He issued a grinding, picture-perfect headlock, hit a nasty clothesline and threw in a somersault for good measure. 

Blake can produce solid matches, especially against someone on Nakamura's level.

It will take some major work, however, to move from being someone else's stepping stone. He helped make The King of Strong Style look good here, but it's not clear whether he can play more of a starring role.

No Way Jose's Continued Transformation 

In the midst of his match with Steve Cutler, No Way Jose stripped away his happy-go-lucky veneer and revealed a wide-eyed, snarling beast. That's the version of the Dominican grappler that has a high ceiling.

His dancing antics are silly fun with a short shelf life. The crazed Jose we saw clock Cutler in the jaw and steamroll over him has far more longevity.

His power and aggression popped on the screen. His sneer and rage came off as genuine. He went from sideshow to main attraction in that moment.

Jose has plenty to build on—from fluid footwork to good size. His career arc will be decided, though, by whether he remains Dr. Jekyll or permanently turns into Mr. Hyde.

Ibushi Arrives

It wasn't nearly as eye-catching as his first-round match in the Cruiserweight Classic, but his NXT debut against Buddy Murphy provided a good look at what Kota Ibushi is capable of.

The Golden Star looked to be having fun out there as he soared off the ropes and battled on the canvas. His high-flying moves were gorgeous, graceful and creative. He cracked his boot against Murphy several times with thunderous kicks. 

The crowd ate it all up.

And Ibushi showed off plenty of "it" factor. Kris Zellner, host of the Between the Sheets podcast, put it best:

There are tons of athletic guys on the NXT roster, but Ibushi is one of the fastest and most agile. He boasts an infectious energy. Plus, it won't hurt him that he's quite handsome.

Ibushi is a perfect fit for the soon-to-arrive cruiserweight division on Raw, so don't expect him to stick around NXT for long.

Female Wrestlers

Rank	Wrestler	Height	Notes
1.	Asuka	5'3"	World-class ring worker, unique, strong showmanship, excellent facial expressions.
2.	Bayley	5'6"	Excellent storyteller, makes superb babyface, brings out her opponents' best.
3.	Peyton Royce	5'7"	Has developed her character, strong ring work, aggressive.
4.	Liv Morgan	5'4"	Improving rapidly, good energy, solid showmanship, athletic, strong selling.
5.	Billie Kay	5'8"	Stiff in the ring at times, adding depth to gimmick, strong kicks.
6.	Aliyah	5'2"	Eye-catching intensity, highly athletic, comfortable as a heel.

Measured Progress for Billie Kay 

The whole package is starting to come together. After starting out as a nondescript wrestler used to put others over, Kay's gimmick is slowly blossoming.

Her color scheme and music suggest she's an ice queen of sorts. The announcers explained that, after her match on SmackDown, she's grown more cocky. Those are both good starts to developing a full character for her.

Bill Hanstock of UPROXX is a fan of her new entrance: 

As for her work inside the ring, she's not near top-tier level yet. Kay went up against Santana Garrett on Wednesday in a match that too often failed to excite.

Kay is stiff overall. Her movement lacks smoothness. She looks uncomfortable at times. 

Her best move by far is the big boot. She nailed Garrett with a kick that would have put a hole in a wall. If she can get the rest of her arsenal to grab that much attention, she can make her way up the ladder in a hurry.

Predictions

TM-61, the pairing of Shane Thorne and Nick Miller, will be trading blows with The Revival in short time. The tag team champs are in need of new challengers after WWE raided NXT's tag division in the past few months.

Thorne and Miller will benefit from that lack of depth and their babyface status. Not to mention that Thorne is a guy the company will get behind. He's a good-looking wrestler with a versatile offense and a healthy supply of charisma. 

Expect him and Miller to be The Revival's next challengers after Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa get their shots at the gold.

Cutler, who fell to No Way Jose on Wednesday, won't continue to be NXT's doormat. Like Kay and Blake, he's added entrance music and made gear changes. Officials don't do that for no-name bottom-feeders.

A guy with a build like his is destined to get some decent opportunities. An upset and a winning streak are on the way for the former Marine.