Ranking NXT's Top 5 performers from May 16 episode

With all NXT performers vying for an eventual main roster spot, any act on the roster is in constant competition with each of their peers.

Each week they compete to earn the right to be the one who makes the next jump up to the main roster, move up on the NXT card or simply keep their dreams alive on the brand. This is who I felt shone the brightest on the latest instalment of the black and yellow brand:

Honourable Mentions

Ciampa has been NXT's MVP in recent weeks but didn't make the top 5 in this edition

Tommaso Ciampa - While Ciampa didn't wrestle, he did open the show with a segment also involving Candice LeRae. This wasn't his strongest promo but he has such incredible heat with the crowd at the moment that anything he does is electric.

Lacey Evans - Evans seems to be developing her move-set nicely and is definitely more suited to her new heel role than she was prior.

Kona Reeves - Reeves started to generate more of a crowd reaction this week following a pretty disappointing re-debut.

Danny Burch - Burch had probably his strongest outing yet in developmental and scored a big pinfall victory that indicates his growing stock on the brand.

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#5 Adam Cole

Cole and his Undisputed Era lost in this week's main event

Cole had a relatively minor role to play in the 6-man tag match that main-evented the show but everything he did exude stardom. Cole first tagged into the match barking trash talk at Danny Burch and the look on his face when his team was upset was priceless.

Cole is fantastic at making his opposition look strong without it ever making himself look weak and this match was yet another example of this. Cole is one of the most main-roster-ready acts on the brand and, after his royal rumble cameo, you wonder how long it will be before he gets called up.

#4 Velveteen Dream

Dream fought to a no-contest against Ricochet

The Velveteen Dream took part in a highly-anticipated match against Ricochet this week that was cut short when Lars Sullivan interfered. Before then, though, he looked fantastic and completely held his own with his more experienced opponent.

While Ricochet is more-renowned for his high-flying pace, Dream was right there with him and the "anything you can do I can do better" feud that the two seem to be engaged in seems to be a great way of getting even more incredible performances out of this talented youngster.

#3 Ricochet

Ricochet and Dream will take on Lars Sullivan in a handicap match next week

Ricochet was also outstanding in this match with the Velveteen Dream. While he is still very new to the product it will be unsurprising to those familiar with his work that he seems to be transitioning seamlessly to life in the WWE.

One sequence in this match, in particular, was breath-taking, with Ricochet showcasing much of what made him famous in New Japan and Lucha Underground. Ricochet looked a little more polished in-ring than Velveteen Dream which is why I have him placed higher in this list this week. Hopefully this is not the last we'll see of Ricochet vs. Dream in NXT.

#2 Oney Lorcan

Lorcan had a stand-out performance this week in the main event

Lorcan was on the winning side in the 6-man main event tag team match. It's safe to say that Lorcan hasn't been given too many opportunities to shine in NXT to this point but what he has been given he has snatched with both hands.

This match was no exception and after Lorcan entered the ring late on in the match, he reeled off one of the better hot tag sequences you'll see. Lorcan, as he did in his title match against Adam Cole recently, is maximizing every little crumb the WWE throws him and is really going to excel now he seems to be being given a bigger role. Lorcan was brilliant in this match and hopefully, he will be able to carry on this momentum in the upcoming weeks.

#1 Kyle O'Reilly

O'Reilly showed why he's one of NXT's best

O'Reilly does all the small things exceptionally well. The small details like his air-guitar playing his title during the entrance and his taunting of Burch after having been taken down to the mat are just examples of this. He is such an efficient performer and his in-ring work is so effective, making every blow he lands or receives carry a little extra weight than it otherwise would.

O'Reilly was excellent in this match and got to show a little more of his technical nous than normal as he spent much of the match as the Undisputed Era's legal man. His in-ring work was effortless, his character work was brilliant and so, for this edition of NXT, O'Reilly's show-stealing performance made him my choice as this week's top performer.

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