WWE NXT: Updated Prospect Rankings and Analysis, Predictions for Week of Aug. 25

To ease the pain of Bayley's departure for Raw, WWE NXT offered a salve in the form of promising new talent Ember Moon.

NXT invaded Brooklyn, New York, during SummerSlam week, and at both TakeOver: Brooklyn II and Wednesday's NXT, the developmental brand showed off its ever-stocked collection of talent. It showcased its marquee stars, as well as prospects worth keeping an eye on such as No Way Jose and Tye Dillinger.

Moon was among the wrestlers who made the loudest statements in Brooklyn.

The debuting grappler instantly staked claim to the top tier of the women's division. The Dallas native walloped Billie Kay, looking impressive in the process.

Her arrival comes just in time, as the former NXT women's champ jumped to Raw on Monday night, leaving Full Sail University and the WWE feeder system behind.

The following is a look at where Moon, Dillinger and their peers stand in the race to be NXT's best. Ring work, mic skills, look, gimmick and charisma determined the order of the rankings.

Male Wrestlers

Rank	Wrestler	Height/Weight	Notes
1.	Shinsuke Nakamura	6'2", 229 lbs	Charismatic, unique, excellent striker, showmanship through the roof, delivers in big matches.
2.	Samoa Joe	6'2", 279 lbs	Intimidating, superb intensity, highly dependable in the ring, great heel.
3.	Bobby Roode	6'0", 235 lbs	Masterful heel, strong mic work, experience, ring general.
4.	Kota Ibushi	5'11", 189 lbs	Excellent striker, thrilling high-flyer, magnetic presence.
5.	Scott Dawson	5'10", 224 lbs	Master of tag team psychology, skilled striker, growing as a talker, keeps adding to collection of big matches.
6.	Hideo Itami	5'9", 182 lbs	Recharged after return from injury, great energy, strong striker.
7.	Johnny Gargano	5'10", 190 lbs	Compelling as a babyface, smooth offense, strong ring work, good connection with fans.
8.	Austin Aries	5'9", 202 lbs	Ring general, experienced, delivers strong heel promos.
9.	Tye Dillinger	6'3", 223 lbs	Strong showmanship, good connection with crowd, maximizing gimmick.
10.	Andrade Almas	5'9", 210 lbs	Highly athletic, fun showmanship, inconsistent striker, outshined by Roode in feud thus far.
11.	Tommaso Ciampa	5'11", 210 lbs	Aggressive, intense, excellent brawler, not magnetic on the mic.
12.	Dash Wilder	5'10", 222 lbs	Excellent tag team psychology, good striker, has improved as a talker.
13.	Shane Thorne	6'1", 200 lbs	Impressive leaping ability, strong showmanship, fluid ring work, good look.
14.	No Way Jose	6'3", 245 lbs	Growing quickly as a performer, best when intense, smooth, gimmick remains too goofy.
15.	Rich Swann	5'6", 165 lbs	Fantastic athlete, charismatic, fun energy, dance-centric gimmick lowers his ceiling.
16.	Buddy Murphy	5'11", 227 lbs	Explosive, good power, below average on the mic.
17.	Rezar	6'4", 308 lbs	Good intensity, impressive power, raw in the ring.
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	Solid showmanship, dependable in the ring, lacks presence.

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

Jose Is No Joke

Going up against Austin Aries at TakeOver: Brooklyn was a test for No Way Jose—a way to measure his progress as a performer. He aced it.

Jose looked like he belonged in the ring with the bigger star and more experienced wrestler. He and Aries produced one of the night's best matches.

As indy wrestler Gran Akuma tweeted, it was a better bout than most expected:

That wasn't all Aries' doing, either. Jose showed toughness as he battled the heel. He was buzzing with energy when needed but focused and intense when the moment called for it.

Jose also showed that he has a bigger in-ring toolbox than previously thought, pulling out a number of new moves. 

His Adam Rose-like shtick still has the makings of a midcarder at best, but the man beneath the gimmick looks like a prospect NXT can count on moving forward. 

More Glimpses of Almas' Potential 

We haven't yet seen "Cien" be the dynamo he was as La Sombra in Mexico. Like Hideo Itami when he moved to NXT from Japan, Andrade Almas seems to be in an adjustment period, looking to find his footing in a new world.

And while most of the attention was on his TakeOver opponent, Bobby Roode, Almas flashed more of his ability.

He was fiery, a cocky showboat and a tight-fisted warrior at the same time. He grabbed the most attention, though, when he left his feet. He showed impressive grace when he flew.

We need to see more of his arsenal down the road. We need to see him in a longer match and a sustained feud against someone of Roode's caliber. That's when the peak version of Almas will emerge.

Working Toward Being a 10

Tye Dillinger has become NXT's forgotten man. He was among those who didn't make it to the TakeOver card, partly because he isn't involved in a feud at the moment.

Other wrestlers are snatching up all the spots on center stage, but Dillinger continues to show that he should be there, too.

He took on Wesley Blake on Wednesday's NXT. It was an everyday match—a bit of fun to please the crowd after the emotional bouts at TakeOver.

Still, The Perfect 10 reminded us of his continued progress as an in-ring storyteller. He sold a poke to the eye with such gusto, for example, that one couldn't help but be concerned about his health. His facial expressions overall had just the right amount of drama.

Add in his strong connection with the crowd, and Dillinger is looking ready to move up a few spots on the NXT ladder. Having a skilled foil over the next few months would help him make that move.

Female Wrestlers

Rank	Wrestler	Height	Notes
1.	Asuka	5'3"	Excellent showmanship, great striker, strong submission wrestling, unique.
2.	Ember Moon	5'2"	Strong striker, excellent presence, experience shows, gimmick has potential.
3.	Peyton Royce	5'7"	Has developed her character, strong ring work, aggressive.
4.	Nikki Glencross	5'1"	Strong mat work, pit-bull energy, her experience shows in the ring.
5.	Mandy Rose	5'4"	Star quality, progressing well in the ring, solid footwork.
6.	Daria Berenato	5'7"	Unique gimmick, strong strikes, good intensity.
7.	Billie Kay	5'8"	Wooden in the ring at times, adding depth to gimmick, strong kicks.
8.	Liv Morgan	5'4"	Good presence, agile, infectious energy, unrefined in the ring.
9.	Aliyah	5'2"	Agile, quick, solid presence, high ceiling, still raw in the ring.

Enter Moon

The sustainability of the window dressing that NXT has draped over Ember Moon is cloudy, but her talent is clear.

The hard-hitting wrestler formerly known as Athena is working a mystical gimmick complete with red contact lenses and a dark hood. That act may need to be adjusted in time, but there will be no concerns about what she can do in the ring.

Moon's debut at TakeOver: Brooklyn II saw her dart and flip around the ring with ease. She showed off an impressive combination of power and agility in the short match against Billie Kay.

DC Matthews of the New Age Insiders podcast came away impressed:

He should be. Moon displayed presence that should make the rest of the women's division jealous. She has a gorgeous finisher, a flying, twisting version of the stunner. And in her first NXT match, an arena full of fans were chanting her name.

Predictions

Moon will vault up to the No. 1 contender spot before the next TakeOver.

All the other women have work left to do; they need to refine their ring work. Moon is prepared for the limelight right now. NXT will recognize that and not rush Liv Morgan and others.

Moon vs. Asuka is on its way. 

Unless Raw brings him up for the cruiserweight division, Johnny Gargano is going to slide into the NXT Championship picture soon. During the Cruiserweight Classic and his NXT appearances, he has shown himself to be the kind of babyface who pulls fans in.

NXT will take advantage of that. Expect a prominent solo story for Johnny Wrestling ahead.