Impact Wrestling preview (Nov. 16, 2017): Canadian Destroyer

Impact Wrestling returns tonight (Nov. 16) from Ottawa, Ontario with the second episode from the post Bound for Glory (BFG) tapings.

Here is what is advertised for tonight:

• Eli Drake (c) vs. Petey Williams for the Impact world championship
• Gail Kim addresses her career
• oVe & Sami Callihan vs. LAX (including Homicide)
• Lashley and American Top Team return
• Taiji Ishimori, Caleb Konley, & Trevor Lee vs. Dezmond Xavier, Garza Jr., & Sonjay Dutt

As per usual, here are our five questions about Impact tonight:

1) What’s next for Petey Williams after this?

Petey Williams faces Eli Drake for the world title tonight. It’s a great opportunity but it’d be rather surprising if the title changes hands with such limited build. Especially with Alberto El Patron and Johnny Impact with their eyes on the top prize.

It’ll likely be a fun match, with Williams having the added benefit of the hometown crowd. He’ll look to deliver his patented Canadian Destroyer, which Impact is claiming no one has ever kicked out of. (I have not done the research to see if this is true in every (or any) promotion or not.)

If Petey leaves tonight empty handed, where does he go? Does he return to the X Division or does he make like Matt Sydal and stick amongst the heavyweights?

On this subject:

2) Who is next to get an X Division championship opportunity?

Trevor Lee fended off most of the division at Bound for Glory to retain his title. He’ll be mixing it up in tag action tonight with a large chunk of the division. But who will be the first to step up to challenge him?

Dezmond Xavier has a title shot in his back pocket from winning the Super X Cup earlier this year. That doesn’t mean he’s first in line, though. That may be a feud they want to spend a little more time on.

Sonjay Dutt is always an option, having lost his title due to interference. But that is something they have spent a bit of time on already. Petey can always fall back after his championship match tonight. (And after he came so close at Bound for Glory, he should get one eventually.)

The only man who I don’t think will be getting one soon is Matt Sydal, who looks to be in a budding feud with EC3 and sticking around the heavyweight division.

3) Why is Lashley and American Top Team still here?

After being victorious at the PPV, Bobby Lashley, Dan Lambert, and American Top Team return tonight. But why?

The entire crux of this feud was that Dan Lambert didn’t want Bobby Lashley to be part of pro wrestling any more. He wanted him to just focus on MMA. So after their victory at BFG, and with Jim Cornette gone, why the heck do they keep showing up?

Hopefully, we’ll get the answers to that tonight because otherwise it’d just be weird. Maybe Dan Lambert loves being a villain so much he decided to stick around.

4) Is this Gail’s final goodbye?

I covered most of the questions surrounded the Knockouts division last week, as at Bound for Glory, Jeremy Borash said last week Gail would address the crowd. That ended up being moved back to this week.

We still don’t know if this is her true retirement speech where she’ll relinquish the title and travel into the sunset or if this will set up one last 1 on 1 feud for the Impact Hall of Famer.

5) Is the Triple A feud over?

At BFG, Team Impact defeated Team Triple A. And so far, people seem to be going in their different directions. Last week, Eddie Edwards and El Hijo de Fantasma had a match for Eddie’s Pro Wrestling NOAH GHC heavyweight title that stemmed from their PPV tag match, but it didn’t seem to have much brand pride on the line. EC3 has started focusing on Matt Sydal. The rest of the participants weren’t on TV last week.

If it is over, and I’m guessing it is, that’s fine. The feud felt like filler to get some of the top acts in Impact on the card. They’ll likely be able to find something better for them separately.

Impact Wrestling returns tonight at 8 EST on Pop TV. Who’s watching?