Impact Wrestling preview (Aug. 9, 2018): Arrogance and Aggression

Impact Wrestling returns tonight (Aug. 9) from the Rebel Complex in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This is the third episode from the most recent set of tapings.

Here’s what’s advertised for tonight:

• Austin Aries (c) vs. Eddie Edwards for the Impact world championship
• Matt Sydal vs. Pentagon Jr.
• The Desi Squad vs. Petey Williams and Taiji Ishimori
• Tessa Blanchard vs. Alisha Edwards

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

1) Is this title match just a piece of a bigger story?

After his entertaining arc from bland babyface to hardcore psycho, it was only a matter time that Eddie Edwards found himself in the world title picture. I just didn’t think it’d be such a rush.

Eddie just weeks ago beat Tommy Dreamer and received Dreamer’s kendo stick as a torch. We’re getting the title shot already? Impact has been willing to take their time with title matches. You’d think this would be one they really tease out.

That makes me feel that this isn’t the big title shot for Eddie Edwards. Instead, it’ll be a cog in the story. Eddie is still dealing with issues with his wife given his now found attitude. And Aries seems to have as many issues with Anthony Carelli than he does Eddie Edwards. Will this match serve more to move those plots along?

Whatever the answer, this should be a very good match given the talent of both men.

2) Where is the Anthony Carelli feud going?

Last week, the champ humiliated Anthony Carelli’s student. It led to stare down between the former Santino and Aries. Carelli kicked Aries low, a move that Aries had been using often himself.

This would be a good set up for a title match between the two. But then there’s the issue of his neck, which was the reason he stopped working in WWE.

I looked at cagematch.net to see if he’s had any recent matches, and he was actually part of a tag match this summer. (I don’t know if he got physical much in it or if it was just low impact comedy bits.) In 2016 he had two matches listed.

If they aren’t leading to a match, what was the point of that? Aries didn’t walk out of last week’s segment on top, which would be the way to go if this was just to get heat on him.

Impact’s storytelling has been more than solid since Don Callis & Scott D’Amore took over, so I have faith they’re going somewhere good with this. And maybe we see that start during the title match tonight.

3) Is Alisha’s return to wrestling a separation from Eddie or just part of that story?

Alisha Edwards hasn’t wrestled much at all in Impact. In fact, the only time she had prior was part of Eddie’s feud with Davey Richards (and his wife Angelina Love). She has never had her own story.

Last week, she spoke about leaving her issues with her (estranged?) husband aside and focusing on wrestling. She has her work cut out for her tonight facing the rising star Tessa Blanchard.

Is this the start of Alisha Edwards the solo act? Or is this just part of the larger story involving Eddie?

4) Can Sydal’s third eye see through a wild Pentagon Jr.?

Matt Sydal tries to get back on his feet this week when he faces the unpredictable Pentagon Jr. It’s an interesting mesh: The Inner Peace of Matt Sydal vs. the Outer Choas of Pentagon Jr.

This match doesn’t have much behind it. It was announced without any set up or story. But it should be interesting to see Sydal try to tell Pentagon to open his third eye.

5) Who will challenge for the X Division title next?

Now that Brian Cage is X Division champion, I look forward to a bunch of lighter weight X Division athletes going after the big guy for that gold.

With guys like Dezmond Xavier, Trevor Lee, and Andrew Everett in the division, the big Cage has a lot of opportunities to show off his power and his athleticism.

I look forward to it.

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