The tradition continues as MFC 23: Unstoppable approaches. It’s time to delve deep into the issues of the upcoming fight card and try to sort out what’s to come when the lights go on and the seats fill with fans.

Here are the Top 10 Questions to pose heading into the finale of the Maximum Fighting Championship’s 2009 campaign:

1.       Is Bryan Baker the next big thing? In his first MFC appearance, Baker seemed poised to become a serious contender in the middleweight ranks. He’ll face a much stiffer test this time around in the form of Art Santore. If Baker can get past the veteran, he will have shown to be a true top-notch contender.

2.       Can “Rajin” Kajan be caged? Jiu-jitsu black belt Josh Russell couldn’t hold back the force of Kajan Johnson at Heat XC 4 so the Gracie Barra instructor turns to one of his protégés for revenge as Ryan Machan steps up to face Johnson whom many consider to be one of the most underrated lightweight anywhere. Johnson showed good defense in getting away from Russell’s slick submission attempts. Now he’ll have to turn up his offense to take it to the next level.

3.       The bigger they are … who’s going to fall hard? Two giants step in to square-off as Nick Penner meets Ryan Fortin. Penner has the edge in experience and ground game but it could well be a saw-off in the stand-up (Penner’s kickboxing vs. Fortin’s straight-up boxing). Seems to me this one could very well come down to which guy can land one point-blank on the chin, and in turn, which one of them can take one right off the chin.

4.       War or snore? A fitting query when it comes to both fighters in the showdown between Ryan Jimmo and Emanuel Newton. If Jimmo figures on being a true light heavyweight title prospect then he must do much more than just grind out a 12th straight win. It does nothing for his stock to merely be the victor – something impressive is an absolute necessity. Same goes for Newton, the former MFC 205-pound champ. He can’t be afraid to pull the trigger and get right in Jimmo’s grill which in turn could bring out more aggression in Jimmo. Neither one of them can be shy with this much at stake.

5.       Who can back up the tough talk? Both Jesse Juarez and Joe Christopher have done a fine job hyping up their welterweight clash – a contest many expect could easily be the showstealer of the night. Now it comes down to which one of them completes the next step and does more than just talk about it. The match should be a very good mix as Juarez brings wrestling and standup to the table while Christopher is a clear-cut jiu-jitsu whiz.

6.       Which young gun will fire? Every single MFC event there is one undercard kid who takes full advantage of his time in the spotlight and brings the crowd out of their seats (see Nick Hrynchyshyn, Paapa Inkumsah, etc.) At Unstoppable, guys like Billy Hua and Kenny Hamilton, who will meet in a lightweight encounter, have a glorious opportunity to make a name of themselves. Don’t waste the chance.

7.       Stage fright or fight? It is truly make it or break it time for Dwayne Lewis who has looked so good at times and so out of his element at others. Why? Hard to say, but there’s a thought out there that Lewis seizes up under the spotlight. If he does that against Marvin Eastman, the “Beastman” will turn his lights out for good. And you can bet on Eastman coming in angry after being “home-town decisioned” in his last outing against Ryan Jimmo.

8.       What’s left for JMac? Or should that be what’s left in JMac. On paper, Jason MacDonald has a definite skill advantage over Solomon Hutcherson. It’s well-roundedness versus one-dimensional. But it is vital that MacDonald match his overwhelming skills with an overwhelming sense of urgency. He can’t muck about in this fight with his desire to wear a championship belt at risk. It has been pointed out of late that the only edge Hutcherson may have is his heart. If MacDonald shows any bit of spark, he’ll take this fight in a heartbeat. If he doesn’t, it’s time to bust out the EKG machine.

9.       Too slick? It’s a no-brainer bet that the Dean Lister/Thales Leites fight will end via submission. They are both immensely skilled jiu-jitsu practitioners who could tap out anybody in a multitude of ways. But that’s also a problem. They are so good at what they do that they might very well loose the attention of the fans with something so slick. That is why we have to hope that these two have some heated exchanges in the stand-up before it goes into the grappling game. It’s a big-name main event that needs to live up to its recognition factor.

10.   What’s next? This fight card will undoubtedly set the stage of the MFC’s 2010 campaign, a year in which the organization has targeted a full lineup of champions to be crowned. Unlike most other promotions which slap their belts on the first two guys to sign contracts, the MFC is very deliberate in its approach to title bouts. With hardware up for grabs in ’10, the final fights of ’09 can set guys up or knock them down.