Impact Wrestling preview (Jan. 18, 2018): Stay tuned for Twitch

Impact Wrestling returns tonight (Jan. 18 with their ninth episode from the last set of tapings.

Here’s what’s on the card for this televised episode of Impact:

• Eli Drake (c) vs. Johnny Impact vs. Alberto El Patron for the Impact global championship
• Taiji Ishimori (c) vs. Dezmond Xavier for the X Division title
• Chandler Park vs. Kongo Kong
• Rosemary vs. KC Spinelli

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

1) Will there be Barbed Wire Massacre worth of filler?

Impact is claiming that they are showing their barbed wire match between oVe and LAX on Twitch because Pop TV deemed it too violent. Sure, that can just be an excuse for them to get eyes on their new Twitch station. But given the fact they advertised it for Pop TV much of this last week, I am going to guess they wanted to air it on their normal broadcast home.

If that’s the case, then they have to fill the likely twenty minutes that they weren’t planning on filling now that they have to move that match off the Pop TV episode. Maybe they have a dark match that they weren’t planning to air that they can put into that spot. Maybe we get an old match courtesy of their GWN service. Whatever they find to fill the spot, the episode is going to be light because this match was supposed to be the main event, the big attraction. They have other matches that are big enough, including a couple title matches, but if they have to take out the big focus of their show, the episode is going to suffer.

2) How will the title match be presented?

This world title triple threat match isn’t taking place in the Impact Zone. It was taped at a promotion in Detroit, Michigan.

Impact has aired plenty of matches from other venues. They will often have the announcers record audio over the bout so it has a play by play. Sometimes they’ll edit the match down to make it more presentable for television.

This being a title match, my bet is we’ll get good chunk of action. (Maybe more than intended if they need to fill the time the barbed wire match was going to fill.)

The biggest downside to the matches airing from indie promotions is they are not set up for television. There’s a noticeable drop of quality when it comes to the lighting and acoustics. That’s something that the three competitors will have to overcome to make this title match feel big like a championship contest should.

3) Is Rosemary just biding time until Taya Valkyrie returns?

Rosemary has been spinning her wheels as of late. Last big thing she had going for her was her feud with Taya. That had to be delayed because of an issue with Valkyrie making it to this set of tapings in Ottawa. We are coming to the tail end of these tapings, so it may not be long until we see Taya back on television.

Is the Demon Assassin just waiting around until then? She’ll be in a match with KC Spinelli tonight. We’ll get to see her on Impact, but this is a match with little consequence. It may be a couple weeks until Rosemary is a focus of a story again.

4) Does Chandler Park have a chance?

In the past, I’ve wondered if Chandler Park has his own darkness inside him, much like his cousin has Abyss. However, when he had a match the other week, that didn’t show through. Chandler looked woefully unprepared for the task and it was only because Joseph ended up punching his cousin’s opponent that Chandler picked up the win.

It won’t be so easy this week.

This week, Chandler has to go against the monster Kongo Kong, a match which he should have no chance. If he can’t find his own inner monster, he’s going to need help. Does Abyss appear when he sees family in peril? Or is Chandler in for a world of hurt?

5) Why is no one talking about Petey Williams kidnapping?

Petey Williams returned from his Kongo Kong kidnapping last week to challenge EC3 in a one on one match. And the kidnapping was never addressed! What happened? Where was he taken? How long was he trapped? How did he escape?

You can’t just have a dude get kidnapped and not follow up on it. Inquiring minds need to know.

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