5 Reasons to Watch UFC Fight Night 53 and 54

Strap yourselves in, UFC fans—Saturday is a busy one in the MMA world.

Both UFC Fight Night 53 and 54 come to you live on Saturday, making the rare doubleheader a long affair in which you must be a marathon man to complete. However, given some of the matchups, you may want to stick around for these fights.

With names like Rory MacDonald, Tarec Saffiedine and Gunnar Nelson gracing the cards, you can be sure you will have a night's (or morning's) worth of entertainment.

Need a reason to watch these fights? I will give you five right now in hopes you give the doubleheader a view.

Gunning for the Top 10

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Gunnar Nelson has taken the UFC by storm. In fact, the Icelandic sensation has quickly gone from top prospect to UFC headliner in a short period of time.

Sure, Nelson's rise in the UFC has been slowed by inactivity from injuries, but when he has performed, he has been a dynamo. His combination of striking and grappling has been more than any man can handle.

That said, as a result of his rise to stardom, he will now face more difficult obstacles. One of those comes in the form of Rick Story this weekend. The two will meet in Sweden at UFC Fight Night 53.

Story is a power wrestler and boxer who is a true veteran of the UFC. If Nelson is able to impress and get past Story, the sky may be the limit for this Icelandic killer.

Next Top Contender?

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UFC Fight Night 54 hosts a main event of great importance. I speak, of course, of Rory MacDonald vs. Tarec Saffiedine.

Both men are Top 10 competitors at 170 pounds and are among those in the short line at the top for a title shot. MacDonald is the protege of Georges St-Pierre with one of the most impressive resumes in the UFC, while Saffiedine is a leg-kicking sensation and former Strikeforce champion.

While the Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler rematch is set for the end of the year for the UFC Welterweight Championship, one has to believe this matchup could provide the next challenger for that belt. We will find out Saturday night who that man may be.

International Flavor

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We have two UFC cards in two non-U.S. countries. With that will come an influx of international fighters who are looking to make head room in their respective divisions.

At the card in Sweden, there are just four fighters from the United States. The rest are from various European countries, from Poland to Sweden to the U.K.

At the card in Canada, there are just six U.S. fighters competing. Most of the fighters are Canadian, though countries such as Brazil, China and Russia all have fighters on the card.

It's always good to get some international flavor.

Doubleheader!

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It happens once in a while, so it may not be new. However, when the UFC has a doubleheader, that is always a reason to watch at least some of it.

Doubleheaders give you options throughout the day for when you want to watch the fights. If you have plans at night, catch the early ones. If you want to sleep in or have day plans, check out the night fights.

It's that simple, folks.

Free TV (and Subscription)

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I've said it once, and I'll say it a thousand times: Any time there is a card on free TV, it is a reason to give it a watch.

UFC Fight Night 54 from Canada will air on Fox Sports 1 and has some underrated bouts. Despite just one or two major draw fights, the card features some awesome matchups that will produce fireworks.

UFC Fight Night 53 is on Fight Pass, which will give you some bang for your $9.99 per month. That card is also interesting and should be able to provide entertainment.

Both cards are easy to access, and you don't have to pump out more than $50 to watch.