The big takeaways:
This was the third NXT UK Hidden Gems episode on the Network featuring previously unaired matches as the pandemic has effectively shut the brand down. As with previous episodes, it was very enjoyable and featured some very good to great matches.
This episode featured then-NXT Champion Adam Cole vs. Zack Gibson from 2019’s Download Festival, Xia Brookside vs. Nina Samuels from March’s TV tapings, and Pete Dunne vs. Alexander Wolfe from July 2019.
Show recap:
Andy Shepherd welcomed us from his bedroom and threw it to our first match of the evening.
NXT Champin Adam Cole pinned Zack Gibson (9:59)
This match was taped on June 16, 2019, at Download Festival at Donington Park, England They showed the full entrances instead of clips like in the previous two Hidden Gems episode. Andy Shepherd and Vic Joseph provided commentary.
They traded holds early on with Cole getting the better of things after a neckbreaker. He quickly got flattened with a clothesline by Gibson for a two count. Gibson worked over Cole’s left arm and then whipped him into the corner hard. The crowd vocally berated Gibson with songs and chants which ticked him off and actually prevented him from making a cover for a few seconds.
Cole came back with a superkick as Gibson charged him in the corner, giving the champ an opportunity to catch his breath. They traded punches and forearms before Cole hit two bicycle kicks and a backbreaker for two. Gibson went to work over the arm again, but got hit with an enzuigiri and a backstabber for another two count. Gibson came back with a high-angle Saito suplex for another two count and went for another suplex but got rolled up. He countered with a roll-up of his own and went for the Shankly Gates, but got hit with another superkick. He actually hit the Ticket to Ride, but got blasted with another Cole superkick.
Cole went for the Panama Sunrise but Gibson pulled him off the ropes and hit another Ticket to Ride from the second turnbuckle, followed by a deadlift vertical suplex, but still only scored a two count. Gibson told Cole to stay down before they traded punches once more. Cole caught Gibson with another superkick as he came off the ropes, hit a brain buster for a near-fall and followed up with the Last Shot for the pin.
– There were short videos promoting Xia Brookside vs. Nina Samuels, Aoife Valkyrie, and The Hunt, Primate & Wild Boar, still wacky as ever.
Xia Brookside pinned Nina Samuels (5:18)
This match was taped on March 6, 2020, in Coventry, England.
The fans were solidly behind Brookside who offered her hand, but Samuels mocked her and got dropkick for her rudeness. Brookside took her down and locked in an armbar. but Samuels escaped and countered the hold. Brookside eventually flipped out of the hold and ensnared Samuels with a side headlock takeover before getting caught in a head vice. She escaped and scored a near-fall off a schoolgirl.
Samuels tried the same maneuver, but caught a double foot stomp on the back instead. She slid to ringside but Brookside took her out with a baseball slide. Back in the ring, Samuels stomped away and then whipped her into the corner where Brookside hit her head on the turnbuckle. Brookside rebounded and hit a running face slam, headscissor takedown, and double knees to the back for a two count of her own. Samuels rolled her up and grabbed the tights, but got caught by the referee. As Samuels argued with the referee, Brookside hit her with a head kick and followed up with a crossbody off the top for the pin.
– There were short videos hyping Pete Dunne vs. Alexander Wolfe, the highs and lows of Flash Morgan Webster & Mark Andrews in NXT UK, and Amale, “The French Hope” She was just recently signed by NXT UK, making her the first female from France to ever earn a WWE contract.
Pete Dunne pinned Alexander Wolfe (9:28)
This match was taped on July 20, 2019, in Plymouth, England.
They immediately kicked things off with a Frye-Takayama trading of blows before Dunne took over and sent Wolfe flying, sending him to ringside. He followed with a dive and then slammed Wolfe into the steps, bent his fingers, fish hooked his nose, and slammed his hand into the steps for good measure. He stomped on Wolfe’s arm on the ramp and tried to do the same on the apron, but Wolfe moved out of the way and pulled Dunne’s legs out. He followed up with a flying European uppercut off the top and then mounted Dunne for some ground and pound.
Wolfe slammed Dunne’s head into the turnbuckle and then followed up with a big powerslam for a two count. Wolfe locked in a bow and arrow submission, but Dunne once again grabbed his nose to escape. He hit a rope assisted snap German suplex, followed by chops and a running enzuigiri unto the corner. He flipped out of a German suplex attempt by Wolfe and then followed up with a release twisting suplex.
Dunne caught a kick by Wolfe and went for another suplex, but got countered into a suplex by Wolfe that threw Dunne on the ropes, crashing on his head. Dunne recovered to stop another aerial attack by Wolfe with a stiff punch to score another two count. Dunne went for a flying armbar, but got caught and slammed into the corner, followed by a death valley driver by Wolfe for a two count for the hatchet man of Imperium.
They traded punches and kicks on the mat and worked their way up to their feet. Wolfe went for a power bomb, but Dunne escaped and snapped his fingers. Dunne went for the Bitter End, but Wolfe countered into a bridging German suplex for another near-fall. Wolfe hoisted Dunne onto the top rope and went for a top rope German, but Dunne backflipped out of the move in mid-air. He followed with punches and a rolling kappa kick, no doubt inspired by his British Strong Style stablemate Tyler Bate. He then hit the Bitter End for the pin.
