WWE NXT: Updated Prospect Rankings and Analysis, Predictions for Week of Feb. 16

The gap between the top tier and the one below it at WWE NXT remains chasm-wide.

Wednesday's NXT was a reminder of how far The Authors of Pain have to go to be at Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano's level. The show also displayed the struggles of the women's division outside of its very best talent. The development brand continues to be a world of haves and have-nots.

The Authors of Pain wear tag team gold but are raw, limited and dependent on duos like DIY to produce in the ring. Inconsistency has plagued Billie Kay and Liv Morgan despite their progress.

Where do those grapplers now stand on the NXT ladder? Which prospects are most ready to thrive on Raw or SmackDown? The following is a look at those questions, ranking NXT's top talents in both the men's and women's divisions.

The wrestlers' skills in the ring, work on the mic, gimmicks, looks and charisma determined the order. 

Male Wrestlers

Rank	Wrestler	Height/Weight	Notes
1.	Shinsuke Nakamura	6'2", 229 lbs	Elite showmanship, great charisma, dramatic in-ring performer, language barrier biggest weakness.
2.	Scott Dawson	5'10", 224 lbs	Excellent striker, top-tier tag team work, believable heel on the mic.
3.	Bobby Roode	6'0", 235 lbs	Flourishing with current gimmick, excels as heel, strong ring work.
4.	Johnny Gargano	5'10", 190 lbs	Engaging as babyface, likable, excellent ring work, athletic.
5.	Tye Dillinger	6'3", 223 lbs	Great connection with crowd, improved matches in recent months, developing as a talker.
6.	Eric Young	6'0", 224 lbs	Vicious, compelling aggressiveness, strong storyteller in the ring, Sanity gimmick a great fit.
7.	Austin Aries	5'9", 202 lbs	Excelling as announcer for 205 Live, solid heel, varied move set, experience shows in the ring.
8.	Andrade "Cien" Almas	5'9", 222 lbs	Good striker, fast and fluid in the ring, growing more comfortable in NXT.
9.	Tommaso Ciampa	5'11", 210 lbs	Strong striker, intense, average mic work.
10.	Hideo Itami	5'9", 182 lbs	Has to regain momentum after latest injury, skilled striker, excellent in the ring, highly athletic.
11.	Dash Wilder	5'10", 222 lbs	Excels in tag team role, good bruiser, below average on the mic.
12.	Roderick Strong	5'10", 211 lbs	Flat on promos, smooth in the ring, dependable worker.
13.	Shane Thorne	6'1", 200 lbs	Injury will stall momentum, athletic, good presence, marketable look, not yet an elite babyface.
14.	No Way Jose	6'3", 245 lbs	Goofy gimmick holding him back, inconsistent striker, gifted athlete, high ceiling.
15.	Oney Lorcan	6'1", 190 lbs	Slugfest artist, solid in-ring work overall, so-so presence.
16.	Elias Samson	6'0", 217lbs	Grating heel, good aggression, working gimmick well, serviceable in the ring.
17.	Killian Dain	6'4", 322 lbs	Intimidating, great power, inconsistent intensity.
18.	Rezar	6'4", 308 lbs	Strong intensity, impressive power, solid presence, unproven in the ring.
19.	Alexander Wolfe	6'2", 231 lbs	Good bruiser, solid striking, making good use of Sanity gimmick.
20.	Tucker Knight	6'2", 282 lbs	Powerful, good acceleration, plenty of intensity.

Prospects just outside the top 20: Nick Miller, Buddy Murphy, Akam

Another Glimpse at Rezar 

Rezar and Akam steamrolled another enhancement talent duo on Wednesday night. The NXT tag champs made quick work of Garriston Spears and Lance Anoa'i, not allowing fans to see much of anyone involved.

The Authors of Pain opened the bout by dumping their foes into the corner.

Rezar's power-based offense was crisper than his tag team partner's. He boasted a bigger presence than Akam, too.

Whether was he was shouting at his fallen foe or shaking with fury mid-match, Rezar entertained and enthralled more.

We've already seen these kind of antics from Rezar, though. He does well with these moments, but it's still unclear how good he and Akam are in the ring. Outside of their TakeOver: San Antonio bout against DIY, The Authors of Pain haven't had many longer opportunities to show off their skills.

It feels, though, like if they face anyone other than The Revival or DIY, Rezar and Akam will stumble. They need to be led, to lean on a superior squad. Zack Zimmerman of ProWrestling.net wrote, "I fear for the day these teams aren't around to make good matches around the Authors." 

Gargano and Ciampa Forever

Now that Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho's friendship has been reduced to ashes, Gargano and Ciampa are WWE's most endearing pair of friends.

As the former tag team partners demanded another title shot, DIY showed off their great chemistry together. Their love for each other is infectious. Their personalities mesh perfectly together.

Gargano showed more charisma than his partner here. His proclamation that "DIY is far from broken" resonated, as did much of his speech.

As the better mic worker and more charming of the two, Mr. Wrestling is more likely to get a shot as a solo act. It would be a shame to break up this duo, though. DIY has a rare bond.

Female Wrestlers

Rank	Wrestler	Height	Notes
1.	Asuka	5'3"	Great intensity, top-notch showmanship, excellent in the ring.
2.	Ember Moon	5'2"	Excellent all-around athlete, top-notch in-ring work, good showmanship.
3.	Nikki Cross	5'1"	Compelling intensity, thriving with Sanity gimmick, good brawler, strong presence.
4.	Peyton Royce	5'7"	Solid ring work, inconsistent striking, working heel gimmick well.
5.	Billie Kay	5'8"	Inconsistent ring work, strong heel work, good showmanship.
6.	Aliyah	5'2"	Strong striker, ample energy, high ceiling.
7.	Mandy Rose	5'4"	Progressing in the ring, strong presence, has star quality.
8.	Daria Berenato	5'7"	Inconsistent ring work, learning to harness gimmick, good intensity.
9.	Liv Morgan	5'3"	Remains awkward in the ring, quick, good energy.
10.	Danielle Kamela	Not listed	Unproven, raw, solid selling.

One Step Forward, One Step Back

Kay's ability as a heel improves each week, but her ring work hasn't progressed at that same pace.

The sneering Australian teamed up with Peyton Royce to take on Liv Morgan and a mystery partner, who turned out to be Ember Moon. Kay did all the little things expertly. Her smirk, her in-ring smack talk and clear disdain for her opponents made her one of the more compelling figures in the bout.

The match itself, however, stunk.

Awkwardness reigned throughout. It looked as if Kay was waiting to be grabbed at one point. She and Moon fumbled through one exchange in the corner. As Sean Rueter of Cageside Seats wrote, "Kay and Morgan had moments but were inconsistent."

WWE can't be confident about Kay at this point. Sometimes, she does well in the ring, as she did at TakeOver: San Antonio in the Fatal 4-Way match. Unfortunately, there are too many instances, like on Wednesday night, where she doesn't look nearly ready for prime time.

Predictions

The wrestler known as Chris Hero is poised to return to Full Sail University. Wednesday's NXT aired a vignette announcing Kassius Ohno's impending arrival.

The re-signed prospect will immediately step into the NXT Championship picture.

Ohno is too experienced and polished to mess around with the midcard. Count on him challenging Bobby Roode for the NXT crown or tangling with Shinsuke Nakamura to earn a crack at that title.

NXT fans also learned that a No. 1 contender for the women's title will emerge next week. As general manager William Regal announced on Wednesday, Morgan, Royce and Moon will battle in a Triple Threat match to determine Asuka's next challenger.

Moon vs. Asuka will be excellent, but the match that sets that clash up will be a clunker. Morgan isn't ready to be in this high-profile spot. 

She's poised to drag the action down, with her rawness slowing everyone down.