WWE NXT: Updated Prospect Rankings and Analysis, Predictions for Week of Aug. 4

A showman, storyteller and star allowed WWE NXT to restock its reserve of talent as Bobby Roode made his TV debut for the brand on Wednesday night.

The arrival of the former TNA world champion crowds NXT's top tier. Suddenly, there's one more major name to push past in order to summit the mountain. 

Actually, there's two. Hideo Itami returned to action on Wednesday after over a year on the shelf due to a shoulder injury. The space his absence created under the spotlight is suddenly gone.

All the worries fans had about NXT's star power after the WWE draft all seem silly now.

But just where do the returning Itami and the debuting Roode fit in the developmental brand's hierarchy? Who is best suited to leap to the main roster and thrive? Who has the best mix of look, mic skills, ring work and charisma to make an impact for WWE?

Let's jump into the rankings now reshaped by Roode's presence as well as Itami looking better than ever.

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.	Bobby Roode	6'0", 235 lbs	Well-rounded performer, strong heel, ring general, skilled in-ring storyteller.
5.	Scott Dawson	5'10", 224 lbs	Master of tag team psychology, skilled striker, growing as a talker.
6.	Hideo Itami	5'9", 182 lbs	Looks to have found footing at NXT, quick, excellent striker, good presence.
7.	Austin Aries	5'9", 202 lbs	Ring general, experienced, delivers strong heel promos.
8.	Johnny Gargano	5'10", 190 lbs	Smooth offense, strong ring work, good connection with fans.
9.	Andrade Almas	5'9", 210 lbs	Highly athletic, fun showmanship, inconsistent striker.
10.	Tye Dillinger	6'3", 223 lbs	Excellent connection with crowd, emotes well, fun energy, most compelling when intense.
11.	Tommaso Ciampa	5'11", 210 lbs	Aggressive, intense, excellent brawler, not magnetic on the mic.
12.	Rich Swann	5'6", 165 lbs	Out-of-this-world athlete, great energy, size could prove an issue.
13.	Shane Thorne	6'1", 200 lbs	Strong showmanship, fluid ring work, good look.
14.	Dash Wilder	5'10", 222 lbs	Improved as a talker, powerful, solid ring work, excels in tag team action.
15.	Buddy Murphy	5'11", 227 lbs	Explosive, good power, below average on the mic.
16.	No Way Jose	6'3", 245 lbs	Far more compelling when serious, good intensity, fluid offense, good striking.
17.	Gzim Selmani	6'4", 308 lbs	More presence than his tag team partner, solid intensity, impressive power.
18.	Elias Samson	6'0", 217 lbs	Showing flashes of compelling viciousness, lacking charisma, gimmick needs development.
19.	Oney Lorcan	6'1", 199 lbs	Underwhelming energy on the mic, solid striker, good intensity.
20.	Wesley Blake	6'1", 240 lbs	Struggling to stand out, solid all-around ring work, good seller.

Prospects just outside the top 20: Sawyer Fulton, Alexander Wolfe, Steve Cutler

Another TNA Alumnus

The difference between Roode's verbal skills and the mic work of other wrestlers on the NXT roster is striking. The It Factor looked comfortable and confident as he worked the fans on Wednesday. He had them cheering early on, before turning on them and riling them up with insults.

Much of the NXT talent pool isn't at the level to pull off that kind of promo.

Roode didn't show it in his NXT TV debut, but he's a versatile, well-rounded performer in the ring. Whether in a brawl or a technical display, he consistently produces. 

He's a ring general who is sure to make unpolished prospects look good. Tangling with him will be a learning experience for whoever gets that opportunity. 

Raw Superstar and fellow TNA alumnus Bubba Ray Dudley believes a call-up is in Roode's future:

It's uncertain whether WWE wants to use him as a drawing force for its developmental brand or push him up to the main roster and make use of his talents there. Roode's skills aren't the issue; his age is.

At 39, WWE may view him as past his prime, and not someone to build around in the youth-oriented New Era. Then again, 39-year-old AJ Styles is sitting in quite the prominent spot on the SmackDown card.

Itami's Long-Awaited Return

Before Itami went down with a left shoulder injury, he didn't quite look himself. The fiery warrior we saw in Japan had been tamed by the process of adjusting to a new country and new company.

On Wednesday night, Itami took on Sean Maluta in a match where the head-kicking specialist returned to his pre-WWE form. He was a touch faster, more intense and more energetic.

As indy wrestler Gran Akuma noted, he looked more like he did when he wrestled as KENTA:

That's a welcome sign. Instead of hurting Itami's momentum, it seems the lengthy time off has recharged him. If he continues to be this aggressive and show off this much energy, he will be in the NXT title picture in a hurry. 

Scott Dawson Continues to Make His Case

Every wrestler claims to be the greatest during bombastic promos. When Dawson and Dash Wilder say they are the best tag team going today, though, it rings true. The Revival has been enthralling as a take-no-prisoners, hard-hitting heel squad.  

Dawson is the more compelling figure of the two men, something he showed off on Wednesday night.

When it was his turn to go on the attack during the tag team champs' match with TM-61, Dawson pounced on his foe with precise strikes. He landed picture-perfect right hands and issued a dropkick to the chin that was a work of art.

And when he had mic time, he was just as on point with his verbal jabs.

What was once a weakness for him is quickly becoming an asset. Dawson is growing smoother as a talker. He is more and more believable as the arrogant jerk he plays.

The Revival has watched a flood of teams move up from NXT before them. Dawson and Wilder, though, have to be wondering when it's their turn.

Female Wrestlers

Rank	Wrestler	Height	Notes
1.	Asuka	5'3"	Excellent showmanship, great strikes, strong submission wrestling, unique.
2.	Bayley	5'6"	Hugely over, highly marketable, excellent in-ring storyteller.
3.	Peyton Royce	5'7"	Has developed her character, strong ring work, aggressive.
4.	Liv Morgan	5'4"	Picking up the art quickly, good energy, star presence.
5.	Billie Kay	5'8"	Stiff in the ring at times, adding depth to gimmick, strong kicks.
6.	Aliyah	5'2"	Agile, quick, solid presence, high ceiling, still raw in the ring.

Aliyah

A short match with Asuka didn't allow Aliyah much of a chance to showcase her talent. She was asked to play the prey role to a predator much further up on the food chain.

Bryan Heaton of Daily DDT wrote, "Aliyah was a non-factor, aside from some Ziggler-like bumping to sell the brutality of Asuka's offense."

Aliyah's selling was noticeably good at several spots. She flailed and writhed when appropriate. Her reaction to the Asuka Lock was especially emotive.

In the glimpses of her before this, she showed lots of potential. More TV time is certain to come. She's athletic, energetic and has more pre-WWE experience than many of her peers.

Count on her competing for a top spot within the women's division before long, especially if Bayley gets moved to Raw or SmackDown soon.

Predictions

Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano killed it in their match in the Cruiserweight Classic tournament. They produced the most emotional and captivating bout of the event so far.

The tag team partners will be focused on The Revival's gold for the moment, but WWE will want to revisit that matchup between friends. Look for a rematch to happen in the coming year as part of a full-blown feud.

From The Rockers to The Hardy Boyz to The Shield, history says WWE teams rarely avoid imploding.

As for Roode, he will walk a path similar to the one Samoa Joe is on. WWE has kept Joe at NXT to help develop young stars and to bring in viewers for the brand. The draft came and went without Joe's name coming up.

Roode is destined to compete for the NXT title and headline TakeOver events just like Joe, while fans are left to wonder what a run for him on the main roster would look like.