It's come that time again - time to delve into an upcoming MFC fight card and pose some serious questions about the fighters stepping into the ring.
 
With what is very likely the MFC's best-ever lineup put together for MFC 22: Payoff, there are some critical fights, career crossroads to bear, a significant superfight not to mention a title fight, and key bouts for up-and-comers looking to make a name for themselves.
 
So let's begin:
 
1. Is there a lucky 11 in Ryan Jimmo's future? "The Big Deal" has all the tools to be a serious threat in the MFC's light heavyweight ranks but he suffers from an inability to make that ferocious statement. If he can close things out against Marvin Eastman by making that statement - an eye-popping KO will do the trick nicely - then Jimmo really does belong at the top of the heap. If he merely grinds out a boring win (putting the potential for a loss on the shelf for a minute) then Jimmo runs the risk of landing in the also-ran category.
 
2. Who's going to sleep - Part 1? Jared Kilkenny returns to the MFC refocused on making something happen for himself. A former light heavyweight title challenger, Kilkenny packs a wallop but is prone to getting caught. His opponent - Dwayne Lewis - is a carbon copy, heavy on offence with big strikes, but susceptible to getting rocked as well. There's little doubt that one of these big hitters is going to wind up flat on his back. Whoever sports a little bit of savvy defense will come away standing tall.
 
3. Is Heath on the rise? After a suspect loss (OK, he got robbed big time by the judges) David Heath is back with what seems to be a rejuvenated attitude towards making a serious go at things. If Heath is willing to put the heat on Mike Nickels and let his hands go, something good is going to come of it. If Heath is any sort of tentative, the former reality show standout will spot an opportunity and seize it.
 
4. Who's going to sleep - Part 2? Pete Spratt can literally be "The Secret Weapon" when matched against the right opponent. In Nathan Gunn, Spratt has a shot to show he's still got some explosive firepower in his arsenal. If Gunn, an undefeated hot prospect, wants to make a big splash in his MFC debut, he'll forego the usual game plan of Spratt's opposition which is to go for the takedown and cruise into a defenseless submission. Gunn would be better served here to show he's more 44-calibre Magnum than 22-calibre pistol by going toe-to-toe in the striking game as a tapout win proves very little.
 
5. Has "El Negro" blown by? Antonio McKee is either the best strategist in mixed martial arts history or the most boring fighter on record. Whatever he's doing, it's working since he last lost three years ago, but it hasn't exactly endeared him to the fans. McKee can use all his skills and be far less fan-unfriendly if he'd just mix a little aggression in with his outstanding wrestling skills. A slam and some ground and pound would make for some excitement. McKee makes his first title defense against Carlo Prater who would do well getting right in McKee's grill and testing him on his feet.
 
6. Who wants it more? There's a welterweight title shot on the line and it's going to come down to the two best candidates on the market - John Alessio and Luigi Fioravanti. Alessio is the consummate professional and a fan favorite but he needs a big win here to offset some earlier setbacks - it will also test his resiliency after the dramatic loss to Paul Daley. Fioravanti has long-coveted a title coming by way of his strong standup game. The fighter who comes best prepared and willing to reach down deep will take it and claim a title shot.
 
7. Which feather is on fire? The long-awaited development of the MFC's featherweight division is here with a showdown between homegrown Evan Sanguin and ATT Florida invader Mike Bruno. Someway, somehow Sanguin has been able to pull out some clutch victories while not looking his best. He'll need his 'A' game here against Bruno who has been targeted as the fast-rising star in the new division.
 
8. Will Paapa preach? He has been a wrecking ball in Heat XC, and now Paapa Inkumsah gets his shot on the big stage. He could be the MFC's next middleweight phenom following in the footsteps carved out by Jason MacDonald. He has beaten down foes who've tried to thug on him and out-slicked an outstanding wrestler. The test comes against Jason Heit, another Heat XC-groomed talent. It's a big step for Paapa who will definitely have a wealth of support in the home-town crowd.
 
9. How good is ... you know, the guy with that long last name? It's Nick Hrynchyshyn, who steps onto the MFC stage for the first time. There's not a lot known about him other than he's got a huge throng of fans built up and he's among the nicest young guys around. The key for Nick is not to get swallowed up with stage fright. If he avoids that pitfall he'll bring some thunder.
 
10. How super will it be? The superfight that the entire MMA community has been talking about - Jason MacDonald vs. Travis Lutter. MacDonald has the clear-cut edge in conditioning which has never been Lutter's strongpoint. Lutter may have a slight edge in the jiu-jitsu category but it's not much. "The Athlete" would seem to be the favorite but it's more who will be mentally ready to go. MacDonald hasn't followed his game plan much of late and it's resulted in some hard times. If he's in the right head space, he's as dangerous as ever. If not, he could easily get caught.