A GREENOCK martial artist who hit his lowest point after two back-to-back losses in a pair of high-profile fights has bounced back with a stunning submission victory in front of a home crowd.

Reece McEwan believes his third-round victory against experienced MMA fighter Miguel Haro at Cage Warriors 176 was one of the most important of his career so far.

The brawler had gone into the fight off the back of two losses, first to Liam ‘Nightmare’ Gittins in a title fight last November and then in a narrow split decision defeat to UFC veteran Cameron Else in April at the Braehead Arena.

While Reece attempted to park his hopes and fears before his most recent fight, he admits that it could have been a make-or-break moment for his career.

(Image: George Munro) He said: “You can look at the two fights and say things like ‘one was a title fight’ or ‘one was a split decision loss against a former UFC fighter’ so they aren’t two poor losses, but they are two losses.

“They were two tough fights, and I narrowly missed out on them, but if you lose a third one then questions start being asked.

“In hindsight you recognise your career is essentially on the line, but I didn’t feel that pressure because it was put into perspective by the training camp being so good.

“The last few months have been the most difficult time in my career professionally and personally.

“But that’s allowed me to get stronger, build resilience and almost rebuild myself back from feeling so low.”

For Reece, who was on a four fight win streak before his loss to Liam Gittins, the back-to-back defeats were a bitter pill to swallow.

But the 29-year-old says he worked on the psychological side of things in his training camps leading up to his Braehead Arena bout and was able to stay level-headed.

He told the Tele: “Straight after the last loss there was like a five or six period emotionally where it was genuinely the lowest point of my life.

“I felt numb behind the eyes, like I was being very fake.

“People might say there’s bigger things in life or more to than my career, but to me there isn’t.

“I’ve got to feel that way because I’m going into a cage and fighting someone who feels that way, if I’m not thinking that way then it’s time for me to retire.

“I’ve got to feel that way because I’m going into a cage and fighting someone who feels that way, if I’m not thinking that way then it’s time for me to retire.

“It’s because I think that way that when I win it’s the highest of all highs and when I lose it’s the lowest of all lows.”

Despite the importance of his victory, Reece says he didn’t process the magnitude of the moment immediately.

He added: “Fresh off that performance on the night I was gutted I hadn’t put him away sooner, but when you look at it, I fought a guy who has double the number of fights I do and dominated every minute and broke him down.

“I made him not want to be there, that’s what I wanted to do.

“When I was fighting I was so trained into mind over emotions that straight after the fight I just thought I’d done my job.

“But as soon as I spotted my family, I got emotional, I ran to see my fiancé to give her a hug.

“That’s when all the feelings and the pressure and emotion I’d been carrying on my shoulders came out.

“I’d done a great job of parking it, but afterwards I felt as if I could breathe again.

“I’ve had a few obstacles, but the goal for me is still to be successful in Cage Warriors, win the world title and go to the UFC.”