WWE NXT: Updated Prospect Rankings and Analysis, Predictions for Week of Dec. 1

On a hobbled leg and in the mouth of a monster, Tye Dillinger made the most emphatic of statements—he's ready to shift from WWE NXT prospect to main-roster Superstar.

When a wrestler in the developmental system takes the proverbial next step in their progression as a performer, it's not often as obvious as it was on Wednesday's NXT.

Dillinger, long popular and productive, had yet to deliver a signature match. That was the one box left to check. And he did it twice in a row.

First, he and Bobby Roode opened NXT TakeOver: Toronto on Nov. 19 with a strong, compelling contest. Dillinger followed that up with the match of his career on Wednesday night—a hard-fought loss against NXT champ Samoa Joe.

The Perfect 10 has made his case for a call-up in that effort.

No Way Jose, on the other hand, is still developing. His match on Wednesday's NXT was a glimpse of what he could be.

As for Asuka, who took on another enhancement talent, she's not developing, she's dominating. The gap between her and the majority of the women's division is wide.

Where do all these wrestlers stack up against each other as NXT's top stars? Read on as we dive into that discussion. The prospects' mic skills, ring work, look, gimmick and charisma determined the 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	Beastly presence, elite-level heel, excellent talker, strong ring work.
3.	Scott Dawson	5'10", 224 lbs	Clutch in-ring performer, excellent tag team psychology, strong brawler, improving mic work.
4.	Johnny Gargano	5'10", 190 lbs	Compelling babyface, good energy, smooth ring work, strong connection with fans.
5.	Bobby Roode	6'0", 235 lbs	Working gimmick well, strong heel promos, highly dependable in the ring.
6.	Hideo Itami	5'9", 182 lbs	Has to regain momentum after latest injury, skilled striker, excellent in the ring, highly athletic.
7.	Eric Young	6'0", 224 lbs	Sanity gimmick is perfect fit, excellent storyteller, good showmanship, versatile in the ring.
8.	Austin Aries	5'9", 202 lbs	One of NXT's better talkers, strong heel work, skilled in-ring technician.
9.	Tye Dillinger	6'3", 223 lbs	Harnesses gimmick well, growing connection with fans, solid ring work, excellent showmanship.
10.	Tommaso Ciampa	5'11", 210 lbs	Fierce bruiser, good facial expressions, strong striker.
11.	Roderick Strong	5'10", 211 lbs	Smooth ring work, athletic, natural in the ring, unproven talker, generic gimmick for now.
12.	Andrade Almas	5'9", 222 lbs	Heel turn has boosted him, highly athletic, hasn't yet delivered great match in NXT.
13.	Dash Wilder	5'10", 222 lbs	Good brawler, excelling as tag team specialist, improved as a talker.
14.	No Way Jose	6'3", 245 lbs	Gifted natural athlete, best when intense, comedy gimmick has limited ceiling.
15.	Alexander Wolfe	6'2", 231 lbs	Finding comfort zone with gimmick, wild energy, good brawler.
16.	Shane Thorne	6'1", 200 lbs	Smooth offense, athletic, strong showmanship, hasn't mastered babyface role.
17.	Rezar	6'4", 308 lbs	Explosive, powerful, underwhelming performance during Dusty Classic.
18.	Tucker Knight	6'2", 282 lbs	Impressive power, good acceleration, plenty of intensity.
19.	Buddy Murphy	5'11", 227 lbs	Powerful, excellent acceleration, underwhelming charisma.
20.	Nick Miller	6'1", 230 lbs	Solid all-around performer, charisma growing, below-average presence.

Prospects just outside the top 20: Akam, Elias Samson, Wesley Blake

Yes Way Jose, Eventually

It's easy to see why WWE is so high on No Way Jose. He's big, explosive and a natural athlete. 

Against Eric Young on Wednesday's NXT, those traits were on full display.

Jose wowed as he charged toward his foe. As usual, he was smooth and powerful. One of the match's highlights was a mighty running clothesline that electrified the audience.

The dance-happy Dominican sold well, too. When Young walloped him, Jose looked to be in convincing pain. 

He still has work to do. He's far from a consistent in-ring performer at this point. But officials have to be encouraged by what they continue to see from him.

Plus, as we saw on Wednesday, his shtick appeals to kids. Some young fans happily danced along with Jose's music during his intro.

This ongoing battle with Young and the Sanity faction, though, will bring out a darker side of Jose. He'll be forced to get serious and slug it out with the unhinged heels. As a result, the feud will be an excellent showcase for him

Not a Perfect 10, But Ready

The onscreen narrative of Dillinger's bout with The Samoan Submission Machine centered on him looking to prove he belonged among the elite. 

The loss said he didn't storylinewise. But in reality, his performance said that would make a fine addition to Raw and SmackDown.

The Perfect 10's clash with Joe was his best work to date. When he was on the wrong end of Joe's offense, he writhed on the mat, dramatically clutching his knee. When it was time for the fiery, babyface comeback, Dillinger thrived there, too.

His energy compelled. His facial expressions were excellent.

This bout was plenty worthy of its main event slot.

Dillinger's ceiling isn't as high as other prospects', but nobody can match Shinsuke Nakamura in charisma and few can touch Hideo Itami in terms of athletic skill. Dillinger isn't those guys, but doesn't need to be. He's a skilled storyteller, someone who would prosper post call-up.

Cody Rhodes certainly thinks so.

During an appearance on the The Art of Wrestling podcast with Colt Cabana (h/t Wrestling Inc for the transcription), the former intercontinental champion was confused as to why WWE hasn't promoted Dillinger yet.

Rhodes said of his father Dusty Rhodes' assessments of The Perfect 10 while the late Hall of Famer was working for NXT: "In his reports, wrote, 'This guy's ready—what can I do?' That's the Tye Dillinger report from his fifth year in developmental. And, literally, that was what my dad always wrote about Tye, 'What is he still doing here?'"

Female Wrestlers

Rank	Wrestler	Height	Notes
1.	Asuka	5'3"	Plenty of flair, strong showmanship, elite ring worker, promos improving.
2.	Ember Moon	5'2"	Ferocious, top-notch ring worker, athletic, strong presence.
3.	Nikki Cross	5'1"	New gimmick ups her ceiling, frenetic energy, intimidating presence.
4.	Billie Kay	5'8"	Growing as a heel, good viciousness, sometimes awkward in the ring.
5.	Peyton Royce	5'7"	Solid heel work, not electric in the ring, average mic skills.
6.	Aliyah	5'2"	Unrefined in the ring, huge potential, great energy, strong presence.
7.	Mandy Rose	5'4"	Progressing in the ring, strong presence, has star quality.
8.	Daria Berenato	5'7"	Unique gimmick, strong strikes, good intensity.
9.	Liv Morgan	5'3"	Remains awkward in the ring, working on harnessing gimmick, good energy, plenty of potential.
10.	Danielle Kamela	Not listed	Unproven, raw, solid selling.

Asuka on Top

In a backstage interview on Wednesday night, Asuka said that no one can touch her, stating that there isn't anyone in NXT capable of offering a real challenge. There's some truth to that.

Aside from Ember Moon, the women's division is filled with incomplete prospects. Many of those wrestlers have a way to go before they are ready to headline. That's seemingly why NXT brought in Mickie James for TakeOver: Toronto.

Asuka proved to be elite in the ring from day one. Her one weakness has been her English-language skills, but it's clear she's been working on that, as Daily DDT pointed out:

The Moon-Asuka rivalry is inevitable. Until then, it's unclear what to do with Asuka. 

The distance between her and the rest of the division isn't just a storyline.

Predictions

Nakamura didn't have to wait long for a chance to claim the NXT Championship. He and Joe are set to collide for the title in Osaka, Japan, on Saturday.

The King of Strong Style will lose that match. WWE will want to free him up for a move to the main roster at the Royal Rumble. Joe can remain the NXT standard-bearer and name attraction. Even if WWE head Vince McMahon doesn't know what to make of Nakamura, the company has to see what it has in him.

Dillinger won't be far behind him.

The loss to Joe on Wednesday coupled with the emotional backstage interview afterward seemed to signal a farewell for The Perfect 10. It's a safe bet he makes his move to Raw or SmackDown in the next few months.