WWE NXT: Updated Prospect Rankings and Analysis, Predictions for Week of May 11

On a variety of stages, WWE NXT prospects showed off their potential on Wednesday night.

In a slugfest of a No. 1 contender's match, Hideo Itami made it clear how dangerous he is. Nikki Cross and Ruby Riot exhibited their personalities in interviews. And a short loss in tag team action provided Riddick Moss a chance to make an impression. 

Moss hasn't been a mainstay at NXT. He and his tag team partner Tino Sabbatelli have made only sporadic appearances for the developmental brand.

Going up against #DIY on Wednesday, though, Moss did well to get people talking about him. 

His display of talent, Itami's viciousness and the latest glimpse of Asuka's challengers at NXT TakeOver: Chicago shook up the ever-shifting landscape that is NXT. The following is a look at where those prospects and their peers sit on the list of the brand's prospects most likely to thrive on the main roster.

The wrestlers' charisma, mic skills, ring work, look and gimmick 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.	Andrade "Cien" Almas	5'9", 210 lbs	Good showmanship, intense ring work, has better sense of character.
3.	Johnny Gargano	5'10", 199 lbs	Works babyface role very well, fluid, varied in-ring toolbox, slightly above average on promos.
4.	Aleister Black	5'11", 205 lbs	Big-time presence, excellent striker, quick, powerful.
5.	Hideo Itami	5'9", 182 lbs	Growing fiercer, skilled striker, highly athletic.
6.	Bobby Roode	6'0", 235 lbs	Quality promos, dependable all-around performer, not as electric as NXT's best.
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.	Tommaso Ciampa	5'11", 201 lbs	Strong striker, intense, average mic work.
10.	Roderick Strong	5'10", 200 lbs	Inspiring real-life background, crisp ring work, athletic, underwhelming charisma.
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.	Tucker Knight	6'2", 320 lbs	Fun energy, explosive, powerful, confident on the mic.
14.	Rezar	6'4", 330 lbs	Strong intensity, impressive power, solid presence.
15.	Killain Dain	6'4", 322 lbs	Surprising agility for a big man, imposing, great strength.
16.	No Way Jose	6'3", 245 lbs	Goofy gimmick holding him back, inconsistent striker, gifted athlete, high ceiling.
17.	Otis Dozovic	5'10", 330 lbs	Good facial expressions, impressive power, best suited as part of tag team.
18.	Dylan Miley	6'3", 284 lbs	Great power, intimidating, monstrous aura.
19.	Alexander Wolfe	6'1", 245 lbs	Good bruiser, solid striking, Sanity gimmick working well.
20.	Akam	6'3", 290 lbs	Plenty of power, solid presence, improved selling, still green overall.

Prospects just outside the top 20: Buddy Murphy, Kona Reeves, Riddick Moss

Progress for Moss

Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa proclaimed themselves worthy of the next shot against The Authors of Pain and for their NXT Tag Team Championship. Moss and Sabbatelli stepped up, demanding not to be forgotten in that discussion.

The heels then lost to #DIY in a brief bout disproving their own point.

Moss and Sabbatelli may not be contenders just yet, but the team's bigger man looked better than he has to this point. Throughout the contest, Moss looked comfortable in the flow of the action. He was intense and showed solid presence.

He issued quick strikes that had the right amount of theatrical flair.

The transition from football to wrestling is still ongoing, but Moss appears to be getting the feel of his new world. The more he faces talented foes like Gargano and Ciampa, the faster that process will be.

A Fiercer Itami

Roderick Strong found out firsthand what Itami looks like when he taps into his predatory side.

In a battle for the right to face Bobby Roode at TakeOver: Chicago at May 20 for the NXT Championship, Itami was the clear star. He disrespected his opponent by showboating over his body. He landed shots to the gut that sounded like thunderstrikes. 

Itami was extra aggressive in this physical affair. 

The version of himself that reigned in Japan looks to be emerging more than ever. This was the Itami who would gladly kick someone's jaw out of socket. This was the Itami who can be a cornerstone of Raw's cruiserweight division or a midcard champ on the main roster.

Chances are, we'll see him bear his teeth more when he collides with Roode in Chicago.

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"	Flourishing with current gimmick, compelling energy, strong brawler.
3.	Ember Moon	5'2"	Excellent in the ring, great athlete, big presence, remains iffy on promos.
4.	Ruby Riot	5'4"	Good brawler, solid ring work, unique look.
5.	Peyton Royce	5'7"	Continues to blossom as heel, solid in the ring, good showmanship.
6.	Billie Kay	5'8"	Plays a heel well, flamboyant, good energy, sometimes awkward in the ring.
7.	Sonya Deville	5'7"	Good striker, MMA gimmick works well, ring work needs improvement.
8.	Kimberly Frankele	5'3"	Powerful, good striker, lots of experience on the indys.
9.	Mandy Rose	5'4"	Has progressed to a degree in the ring, strong presence, star quality.
10.	Aliyah	5'3"	Losing momentum of late, inconsistent in the ring, has shown flashes of charisma.

Sit-Downs with Riot and Cross

In a well-produced video package, Riot talked of being an outsider and the sacrifices she's made while pursuing her wrestling career.

She showed genuine emotion during the piece. She came off as passionate, cool and unique. From her punk-rock look to her desire to break the mold, WWE will have a number of selling points to use when promoting her moving forward.

Cross, unsurprisingly, didn't do a normal interview.

She batted the microphones, pawed at an employee and shouted into the camera. She was a twitchy beast admiring the bars of the cage around her. She continues to be fun to watch and Sanity's breakout star.

If Raw or SmackDown writers find interesting means to showcase her like this, she's going to pull in the audience in a hurry.  

Predictions

Aleister Black's matches aren't offering much time to evaluate him, but it takes only seconds to see his presence burning through the screen. The magnetic bruiser is going to quickly gain popularity on the level of Shinsuke Nakamura at NXT. Full Sail University will be filled with electric roars upon his arrival each night. 

And that will lead to officials pushing him into the NXT title picture before the year is done.

As announced on Wednesday's show, Pete Dunne will face Tyler Bate for the United Kingdom Championship at TakeOver: Chicago, as the UK/NXT crossover continues. That rematch of the UK tourney finals will be an absolute show-stealer.

Bate is an in-ring prodigy. And Dunne is one of the five best heels on WWE roster today.

Win or loss, this bout will be a clear statement of Dunne's sky-high ceiling.