Impact Makes Two Never-Before-Seen El Generico Matches Available On Streaming Service

Over three years ago, in December 2019, WWE Network stopped updating what was probably its most beloved feature among the most hardcore fans in its subscriber base: The Hidden Gems section. Starting in September 2016, WWE released little-seen or previously unseen matches and shows from its archives, featuring everything from dark match tryouts to unaired house shows to TV shows that hadn't been seen anywhere since their original airing decades earlier. In May 2018, it got even better, becoming a weekly series, but WWE barely promoted it outside of social media, and archival content was slowly being deemphasized over time, so it was never going to last.

However, on Monday, Impact Wrestling showed signs that it's starting to take its own Impact Plus service in a similar direction. Impact tweeted that they have added two previously unseen matches featuring El Generico, the masked alter ego of WWE's Sami Zayn, featuring him against The Amazing Red and T.J. Perkins. These unaired dark matches were Generico's only matches in the company, taking place at the January 11 and January 12, 2011 TV tapings, respectively, in Orlando, Florida. Generico obviously did not sign with Impact, but it would be another two years before he signed with WWE, unmasked, and became Sami Zayn. In the interim, he stayed on the independent scene, with his most high-profile work coming in Ring of Honor in the U.S. and DDT in Japan.

Sami Zayn is expected to team with Kevin Owens against the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos at WrestleMania 39, but it has not yet been announced.