Impact Wrestling preview (Dec. 7, 2017): Killer Instinct

Impact Wrestling returns tonight (Dec. 7) with the fifth episode from the most recent set of tapings.

Here’s what’s advertised for tonight:

• EC3 (c) vs. Matt Sydal for the Grand Championship
• Rosemary vs. Allie vs. Sienna in the second match of the Knockouts championship tournament
• Moose and James Storm vs. Bobby Lashley and Dan Lambert
• oVe airs their grievances
• Caleb Konley vs. Taiji Ishimori

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

1) Will Sydal prove he has that killer instinct?

If you’ve been reading my recaps, you’ll know this is my favorite story in Impact currently.

It’s a simple one, but those are often the ones that work the best. EC3 has made the claim that Matt Sydal is really good but he’s a choke artist who can’t get it done when there are actual stakes on the line. He’s not wrong. Matt wins often but not when there’s gold on the line. It plays on Sydal’s entire record in the promotion. He’s won a bunch of matches, but few were worth much. It’s always great with a wrestler’s win/loss record are recognized and become part of a story.

Now the Reborn one will have the chance to prove Carter wrong as he challenges him for his title. Now something has to give. Will Sydal prove to Carter that his way works when he takes his title? Is he going to borrow a couple tricks from the killer instinct playbook that Ethan uses, such as a well timed foot on the rope? Or will it not matter? Is he just outmatched by EC3?

2) Will the triple threat start the paths for all three women?

I was a bit surprised that they put the most active members of the Knockouts division all in one match. The other match had Laurel Van Ness, who is active but not often as a wrestler, and Madison Rayne and KC Spinelli, two people we don’t see on Impact. Meanwhile, Rosemary, Allie, and Sienna are often the focus of the division. Before Taya Valkyrie had to pull out, they were all booked at Bound for Glory.

One of these women will go out to face Laurel Van Ness next week for the Knockouts championship. Will the other two go on to feud with each other? Or did they just want to stack one match and use the other to show off lesser seen talent?

3) Will Dan Lambert actually get physical?

Last week, the head of American Top Team Dan Lambert booked himself in a match alongside Bobby Lashley against Moose and James Storm. It didn’t seem like a wise move.

Dan has been antagonizing the entire locker room of Impact claiming that MMA is better and while letting his guys run roughshod over the roster with sneak attacks. Now he’s putting himself in harms way? That doesn’t make sense.

It’s possible that he names a replacement instead. If he does suit up (I predict typical non-wrestler tracksuit attire), I expect him to only tag in when Lashley has the opponent in a bad position, get some cheap hits in, and tag out at the first sign of trouble.

I’m also guessing his team wins because it seems obvious that Moose and Storm will have the advantage. Usually they’ll go with the heat generating moment of having Lambert pin one of the legit wrestlers he’s facing.

4) Does Ishimori have a numbers problem?

Trevor Lee and Caleb Konley blame Ishimori for a tag loss a few weeks back. In fact, they attacked him after his match last week to show him how serious they were.

Ishimori will face Konley tonight, but there’s no doubt that Trevor Lee will be there to put his stamp on things. There’s also chance that Andrew Everett, another member of the Cult of Lee, will be there as well.

Taiji may need to find himself some friends if he wants to contend with Team Tar Heel.

5) What grievances do oVe have?

They’re tag champions for crying out loud. They’ve got their buddy Sami Callihan by their sid. They’re doing well. What? Did Party City stop carrying their masks or something?

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