GREENOCK mixed martial arts fighter Reece McEwan believes he is Europe's top dog after his second triumph at a premier promotion.

The 27-year-old defeated bantamweight division leader Kingsley Crawford in a gruelling brawl that went the distance at the recent Cage Warriors 141 event.

The victory is Reece's second in this arena, where famous stars like Conor McGregor made their name.

Reece's latest win follows on from his debut bout triumph against Englishman Sam Spencer earlier this year - and puts the Greenock-born fighter in prime position to challenge for the top spot.

He said: "When I got my contract I told people I would win my five fights and get to the UFC.

"The first fight was step one, but when it came to the second fight there was a seed of doubt in my mind.

"If I won one and then lost the next, where was my momentum going to come from?

"I lost one before I came into Cage Warriors too, so I didn't want to lose again and have an up and down record.

"I had never been taken the distance before in my professional career.

"As an amateur you fight three three-minute rounds, as a professional it's three five-minute rounds - which is a tougher task.

"My first fight finished with 30 seconds to go and then this one went the distance, essentially that's 30 minutes of cage time in the last four months.

"It's invaluable.

"Everybody might see a 14 second knockout or a one round submission as a great victory, but it might paper over a lot of cracks.

"When you beat somebody over three rounds, you're showing that you were better than them throughout."

The young fighter can't wait for his next clash, and has high hopes he'll fight again before the end of the year.

He added: "I feel like I'm capable of so much more, I've got another couple of gears.

"I'm hoping I get to fight again in November.

"I think I'm the best fighter in Europe - Cage Warriors is the biggest show in Europe and I believe fights like that one are my chance to prove it.

"Talk is cheap, so I want the chance to prove it with my performances."

Outside of the cage, Reece has also been appointed as a brand ambassador for mental health charity Man On Inverclyde.

The bantamweight says his career's ups and downs have taught him how important mental health awareness and support can be.

He said: "Being an MMA fighter, my sport is seen as very masculine, so I think being part of something like Man On helps break down the stigma around men's mental health.

"When you see a fighter or someone like that talk about their mental health, I think it makes you think that it's okay for you to talk too.

"I never cried so much in my life as I did after I lost last November.

"I wasn't low in terms of being depressive, but I was down.

"I've got no shame in saying how I felt and on reflection I think it was really strong to be honest about how I was feeling.

"I want to show other guys that it's fine to be like this and it's good to talk about these things.

"Working with Man On is a fulfilling opportunity and I'm very blessed to be working with them - they're an amazing charity."