WWE NXT: Updated Prospect Rankings, Analysis, Predictions for Week of Sept. 22

The report cards for so many WWE NXT prospects would read "incomplete."

Billie Kay has improved her presence but remains underwhelming in the ring. The hard-hitting Oney Lorcan is not yet the complete package, either. Andrade "Cien' Almas has not found his stride.

Because it boasts such compelling talents as Samoa Joe and Asuka, it's easy to forget that NXT is part of a developmental system. Wednesday's episode, though, showed enough flawed, in-progress wrestlers to remind one of the brand's true purpose.

Wrestlers like Kay are clearly working hard to improve, but there remains a sizable gap between NXT's top tier and the place where the rest of the roster stands.

The following is a look at how Kay, Lorcan, Almas and others stack up against each other as they try to close that gap. Prospects' ring skills, mic work, look, gimmick and presence determined the rankings.

A few notes first, though.

Rich Swann is now a member of the main roster as part of the cruiserweight division. He debuted on Monday's Raw. Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa, who are expected to join Swann there, are still listed as NXT Superstars on WWE.com.

And while there have been several rumors that Kota Ibushi signed an NXT deal, WWE hasn't made that official yet. He has been removed from consideration in these rankings.

Male Wrestlers

Rank	Wrestler	Height/Weight	Notes
1.	Shinsuke Nakamura	6'2", 229 lbs	Tremendous showman, elite ring worker, turns banal moments into electric ones.
2.	Samoa Joe	6'2", 279 lbs	Top-tier mic worker, intimidating, flourishing as heel, excellent in the ring.
3.	Bobby Roode	6'0", 235 lbs	Strong connection with crowd, thriving with current character, skilled and experienced ring worker.
4.	Hideo Itami	5'9", 182 lbs	Continues to get better after return from injury, fiery, strong striker, excellent athlete.
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.	Johnny Gargano	5'10", 190 lbs	Compelling as a babyface, smooth offense, strong ring work, good connection with fans.
7.	Austin Aries	5'9", 202 lbs	Excellent technician, experienced, dependable, lacks elite "it" factor.
8.	Tye Dillinger	6'3", 223 lbs	Harnesses gimmick well, good showman, fun energy, growing connection with fans.
9.	Tommaso Ciampa	5'11", 210 lbs	Aggressive, intense, excellent brawler, not magnetic on the mic.
10.	Andrade Almas	5,9", 222 lbs	Hasn't hit stride at NXT, highly athletic, graceful, gimmick still in progress.
11.	Dash Wilder	5'10", 222 lbs	Excellent tag team psychology, good striker, has improved as a talker.
12.	Shane Thorne	6'1", 200 lbs	Good showmanship, athletic, smooth, star quality.
13.	No Way Jose	6'3", 245 lbs	Lots of potential, not yet strong enough as an in-ring performer for the top tier, inconsistent, physically gifted.
14.	Rezar	6'4", 308 lbs	Playing monster heel well, aggressive, good acceleration.
15.	Buddy Murphy	5'11", 227 lbs	Lacks presence, explosive, impressive power, poor talker.
16.	Elias Samson	6'0", 217 lbs	Has shown flashes of compelling viciousness, lacking charisma, gimmick needs development.
17.	Steve Cutler	Not listed	Solid ring work, below-average presence, persona slowly developing.
18.	Oney Lorcan	6'1", 199 lbs	Intense, skilled striker, solid potential.
19.	Wesley Blake	6'1", 240 lbs	Underwhelming presence, solid all-around ring worker, doesn't stand out.
20.	Sawyer Fulton	6'8", 285 lbs	Raw, powerful, vicious, hasn't found ideal gimmick.

Prospects just outside the top 20: Akam, Angelo Dawkins, Riddick Moss

Lorcan Lacking

It's hard not to think of Lorcan as the poor man's Cesaro.

He fires off uppercuts like The King of Swing but isn't nearly as fun to watch perform. Lorcan has shown solid ferocity and good technical skill but has yet to wow the audience.

Lorcan battled Austin Aries on Tuesday's NXT.

The match was fine, but it wasn't one that will inspire officials to elevate the bruiser. Lorcan's straight-ahead style and throwback offense will appeal to some, but winning over casual fans won't be as easy.

He must become more of a larger-than-life figure to compete with the likes of Shinsuke Nakamura, Hideo Itami, Bobby Roode, etc.

Cien's Slow Transition Continues

Almas clashed with Cedric Alexander from Raw's cruiserweight division on Tuesday night. It was the latest showdown against high-quality opposition for Cien that wasn't nearly as good as it could have been.

He has now faced Alexander, Roode and Austin Aries. None of the bouts were very memorable.

Against Alexander, Almas was graceful when he left his feet. He sold well, his legs wobbling after his foe knocked him senseless. And he showed impressive strength in lifting Alexander off the mat and hitting a powerbomb.

Still, something is off. He hasn't been nearly as impressive as he was during his time in Mexico's Consejo Mundial del Lucha Libre promotion.

Indy wrestler Gran Akuma summed it up well:

A part of that is his unclear gimmick. He started out as a showy playboy and has since become more nondescript, offering little for the crowd to latch onto.

It's no wonder the audience chanted for Alexander, not Almas.

Female Wrestlers

Rank	Wrestler	Height	Notes
1.	Asuka	5'3"	Top-notch in-ring performer, excellent striker, great presence, limited English-language skills.
2.	Ember Moon	5'2"	Great ferocity, highly skilled in-ring performer, excellent presence, has quickly won over NXT fanbase.
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.	Aliyah	5'2"	Compelling energy, comfortable as a heel, improving in the ring, high ceiling.
6.	Billie Kay	5'8"	Good showmanship, has found groove with gimmick, wooden in the ring at times.
7.	Mandy Rose	5'4"	A work in progress overall, strong presence, good heel work, showing signs of future stardom.
8.	Daria Berenato	5'7"	Unique gimmick, strong strikes, good intensity.
9.	Liv Morgan	5'4"	OK talker, good energy, raw in the ring.

Aliyah vs. Kay

Kay bested Aliyah in a match that showcased the former more than the latter.

In terms of gimmick and presentation, Kay is the more complete package of the two right now. She has found a persona that fits— a flashy, snobby predator who enjoys kicking people's heads in.

She hit some strong forearms and was vicious overall. All that has yet to add up to a standout performance, however.

As Zack Zimmerman of ProWrestling.net wrote, "Billie has good presence, but she has yet to put on a good match on NXT TV, and that's something I'm really waiting on."

Aliyah has the higher ceiling of the two. That was clear on Tuesday, even with Kay playing the lead role.

She is compellingly fierce, highly agile and a natural in the ring. She keeps showing flashes of the star she's bound to become. Kay is likely headed for a title shot before her, but Aliyah is the safer bet as the one more likely to actually claim the NXT Women's Championship in the future.

Mandy Talking Trash

Appearing backstage, Mandy Rose insulted Ember Moon, playing up a rivalry that got started on social media. She talked of how Moon didn't look like a true star and how she was going to eclipse her.

The solid performance will likely be forgotten thanks to more newsworthy events on the show, but officials have to be happy with what they are seeing from Rose.

Although she is raw and inexperienced, she is playing the heel role well. More and more, she looks like what WWE wants Eva Marie to be.

Going up against Moon will be a major test for her, a chance to see how she fares against the division's best. If she can't produce a decent match against a talent like Moon, then we all need to temper our immediate expectations for Rose.

Predictions

The Samoa Joe-Nakamura rivalry took center stage again on Tuesday night. This time around, The Samoan Submission Machine bragged about sending the NXT champ to the hospital, listing the injuries he suffered at Joe's hands.

The King of Strong Style's absence will create a temporary void at the top.

Look for Tye Dillinger to make the most of that opportunity. NXT will need some new faces to step into the main event picture, and The Perfect 10 has been on the verge of making a big, upward move. 

NXT announced on Tuesday that former football player Dan Matha will debut in two weeks.

He's only been in the developmental system for a year, but count on him getting ample airtime right away. His 6'7", 290-pound frame will be his ticket to the spotlight, whether he's ready or not.

The roster lacks a powerhouse of that size.