Impact Wrestling Preview (Aug. 16, 2018): Killer Alliance

Impact Wrestling returns tonight (Aug. 16) from the Rebel Complex in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the fourth and final episode of the post Slammiversary set of tapings.

Here’s what’s advertised for tonight:

• We hear from Austin Aries and Killer Kross
• Allie vs. Su Yung
• LAX vs. the OGz in a street fight
• Jimmy Jacobs vs. Johnny Impact
• Pentagon Jr. vs. Sami Callihan
• The Smokeshow with Scarlett Bordeaux
• Joe Henry vs. Eli Drake

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

I will be discussing a spoiler that Impact themselves announced on their social media in this section. So if you don’t follow them on Twitter and want to remain spoiler free, then proceed with caution

1) What’s this alliance between Killer Kross and Austin Aries?

Last week, Aries retained his Impact world championship against Eddie Edwards with help from Killer Kross.

Kross debuted in Impact as a lone wolf attacker. Now he is alligned with Aries. Last week wasn’t Kross going rogue and Aries benefitting from it. They posed together. That’s an alliance.

Tonight, we learn why Kross has forgone the lone wolf act to become the champ’s backup. On Aries’ end, it makes sense. Get a big guy to have your back to hold on to the title. But what does Kross gain from it? Exposure? More bodies to lay out?

We’ll probably find out tonight.

2) How do we get to Tessa Blanchard’s win?

On their Twitter, Impact spoiled that Tessa Blanchard wins the Knockouts title at the latest taping. I never read the spoiler reports. But I often check out their Twitter preparing for the show. If this is information they want out there, it’s fair game to talk about it.

Now that they told us a point up the road, I’m just looking ahead to how they get there. It’s just the way I take in any type of story. As soon as I learn something will happen, I just want to get to that point. So how does Tessa win that title.

My biggest question is does the heel Tessa Blanchard defeats the current champion heel Su Yung for that title. Or if Allie somehow wins it in between. The current feud is Allie and Tessa so it’d make sense for that to be the match. Or maybe they go with that good ol’ triple threat route.

I also worry that they made the change now because Rosemary isn’t going to come back soon enough for a killer title feud with Su. (I miss the Demon Assassin.)

3) How cartoonish will the Smokeshow be?

Scarlett Bordeaux is an interesting character. In the era of the Women’s revolution/evolution, Bordeaux is a superficial character concerned only about he looks and how she can use them to her benefit.

However, too much of it has been cartoonish for my tastes. There’s the bubbling, flop sweating interviewer who carried her bags last week. There’s the two idiot caricatures from management that gave her this show. The fact no one has said “hubba hubba” is somewhat surprising.

This gimmick needs more subtlety to work. She can manipulate people, but it should be realistic, not cartoonish.

We’ll find out tonight if this gimmick is going to be nuanced or cartoonish when she hosts her own show. This could also be used to set up her first feud.

4) Will Jimmy Jacobs actually wrestle?

Johnny Impact has been calling out Kongo Kong, looking for revenge from months ago. Prior to Redemption, Kong lawn darted Johnny into the ring steps. Last week, Jimmy told Johnny that he’s the monster now so Johnny can fight him.

But is this all a ruse to set up Johnny for a Kongo attack? Or will we actually see Jacobs wrestle in Impact for the first time?

5) How is Grado going to move on from Joe Hendry and Katarina?

Grado’s friend Joe Hendry and his girlfriend Katarina are clearly into each other. He kind of know already (partially because Eli Drake is eager to tell him). But I don’t think he has fully accepted it.

To be fair, that’s something that’s gotta be tough to come to terms with.

Is he going to finally get it into his head that those closest to him are doing him wrong? Or are they going to fully break his heart as part of a heel turn?

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