WWE NXT: Updated Prospect Rankings, Analysis, Predictions for Week of April 27

Wednesday's WWE NXT was a reminder that sometimes a warrior grinding his foe into the floor is what reveals his potential, and sometimes it's him telling his story.

Drew McIntyre looked beastly as he overpowered his opponent. Nikki Cross impressed by way of smashmouth offense, as well, when she battered Ruby Riot atop the entrance ramp.

Roderick Strong, meanwhile, relied on openness and honesty about his upbringing to connect with the crowd. 

NXT produced another strong episode on Wednesday night, as the show is clearly regaining its footing post-WrestleMania. It featured McIntyre's heavy-handed offense, Cross' overflowing adrenaline and a look into Strong's past. 

The following is a look at where all those wrestlers and their peers stand in the ongoing race to be NXT's top prospects. The wrestlers' charisma, mic skills, look, gimmick and ring work determined the rankings. 

Male Wrestlers

Rank	Wrestler	Height/Weight	Notes
1.	Drew McIntyre	6'5", 254 lbs	Imposing, strong striker, excellent presence, much improved since last WWE run.
2.	Johnny Gargano	5'10", 199 lbs	Fast, fluid offense, strong babyface work, excellent seller.
3.	Andrade "Cien" Almas	5'9", 210 lbs	Good showmanship, intense ring work, has better sense of character.
4.	Aleister Black	5'11", 205 lbs	Great aura, hard-hitting striker, stands out, gimmick has potential.
5.	Bobby Roode	6'0", 235 lbs	Quality promos, dependable all-around performer, not as electric as NXT's best.
6.	Hideo Itami	5'9", 182 lbs	Excellent athlete, skilled striker, presence helps overcome language barrier.
7.	Kassius Ohno	6'4", 270 lbs	Works well against a variety of foes, excellent in the ring, likable on the mic.
8.	Eric Young	5'11", 232 lbs	Skilled storyteller, great seller, dramatic strikes, solid on the mic.
9.	Roderick Strong	5'10", 200 lbs	Inspiring real-life background, crisp ring work, athletic, underwhelming charisma.
10.	Tommaso Ciampa	5'11", 201 lbs	Strong striker, intense, average mic work.
11.	Shane Thorne	6'1", 220 lbs	Injury will stall momentum, athletic, good presence, marketable look, not yet an elite babyface.
12.	Oney Lorcan	6'1", 190 lbs	Thrives in slugfests, strong ring work, underwhelming talker.
13.	No Way Jose	6'3", 245 lbs	Goofy gimmick holding him back, inconsistent striker, gifted athlete, high ceiling.
14.	Tucker Knight	6'2", 320 lbs	Good acceleration, impressive power, fun energy.
15.	Killian Dain	6'4", 322 lbs	Impressive movement for his size, intimidating, big potential.
16.	Rezar	6'4", 330 lbs	Strong intensity, impressive power, solid presence.
17.	Dylan Miley	6'3", 284 lbs	Great power, intimidating, monstrous aura.
18.	Alexander Wolfe	6'1", 245 lbs	Good bruiser, solid striking, Sanity gimmick working well.
19.	Akam	6'3", 290 lbs	Plenty of power, solid presence, improved selling, still green overall.
20.	Otis Dozovic	5'10", 330 lbs	Great power, solid agility for size, good intensity.

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

Strong Tells His Story

Fans have learned little about Strong since he joined NXT last year. The former Ring of Honor star has long needed something for the audience to sink their teeth into besides his crisp ring work. That arrived in a big way on Wednesday.

NXT aired the first part of a short documentary about Strong. 

It detailed his tumultuous upbringing and how he got into wrestling. We saw him cry as he recalled some of his darkest days. 

The video was excellent. Justin James of PWTorch rightly called it "a really well done, emotionally powerful package, and just what Strong needed to expand himself as a character and person."

It also spotlighted one of Strong's biggest issues.

His personality has always felt flat in the larger-than-life world of pro wrestling. He talked about not letting himself open up, perhaps explaining that to a degree. "I've been shy to show who I am," Strong said.

How much he can overcome that will determine how high his ceiling is. All the hard work in the world can't overcome a lack of charisma.

McIntyre Chops Down Another One

The Chosen One's renaissance continued on Wednesday's NXT with a beatdown of Andrade "Cien" Almas.

McIntyre clubbed and chopped his foe hard. He stalked Almas around the ring and was imposing throughout. 

WrestleView.com praised the contest:

Since returning to WWE, McIntyre has exuded a different, more powerful aura. He has added presence and confidence. Hard work, experience and a chip on his shoulder have turned him into NXT's top prospect.

Female Wrestlers

Rank	Wrestler	Height	Notes
1.	Asuka	5'3"	Elite in-ring performer, great presence, top-notch striker, limited English-language skills.
2.	Nikki Cross	5'0"	Fantastic intensity, good facial expressions, strong brawler, compelling character.
3.	Ember Moon	5'2"	Great all-around athlete, excellent showmanship, good presence, character still in progress.
4.	Peyton Royce	5'7"	Continues to blossom as heel, solid in the ring, good showmanship.
5.	Ruby Riot	5'4"	Good brawler, strong ring work, solid on promos.
6.	Billie Kay	5'8"	Plays a heel well, flamboyant, good energy, sometimes awkward in the ring.
7.	Kimberly Frankele	5'3"	Powerful, good striker, lots of experience on the indies.
8.	Mandy Rose	5'4"	Has progressed to a degree in the ring, strong presence, star quality.
9.	Aliyah	5'3"	Lots of potential, regressing in the ring of late, good energy.
10.	Daria Berenato	5'7"	Solid striker, works MMA gimmick well, OK presence.

Cross vs. Riot Thoughts

In between her two brawls with Cross, Riot delivered a solid promo about not giving into the Sanity faction. Her acting was good acting, although she could have used more oomph.

Riot then found herself in a dogfight.

Her match with Cross never officially started. Instead, the two rivals slugged each other on the entrance ramp until officials tore them apart.

Cross stood out more here—forearms, energy, shoving refs, the more compelling of the two in these exchanges.

Her hammering forearms, frenzied energy and over-the-top facial expressions made her more compelling than Riot. Cross looked like an enraged beast that must be tranquilized. Riot got lost to a degree in the exchanges.

Predictions

Aleister Black's dismantling of Kona Reeves will precede a long stretch of victories. Look for the Dutch warrior to extend his winning streak until the next TakeOver at least.

NXT is clearly building him up as a major threat. He's not only taking everyone down, he's doing so in dominating fashion. 

Black will be challenging for the NXT title within a year.

Reeves, meanwhile, has a longer climb ahead of him. The Hawaii native will eventually move up the ranks, though.

He's big, athletic and stands out. He remains raw in the ring but will be featured more often after honing his craft.