Tom 'Kong' Watson produced a brilliant UFC win – despite fracturing his tibia at the start of a gruelling war with Sam Alvey.

The Southampton Mixed Marshal Arts star really had to get a win over Alvey to secure his future with the lucrative UFC after suffering back-to-back defeats in his previous two contests.

And he duly delivered exactly that, taking a unanimous decision in Bangor, Maine, USA.

But it took a lot to get the victory, with a bloodied Watson admitting later that an early fractureto his tibia left him suffering.

However, he showed a warrior spirit to secure victory.

"It was a good fight," said Watson.

"I managed to get caught with a pretty hard elbow and Sam has heavy hands. He’s very sneaky with his striking and I let one get through.

"My game plan was to stay on the outside, away from his range, and make him charge at me.

"I'm a great counter puncher and I think I did a good job with that."

Watson dominated the first two rounds of the contest, with his striking proving particularly successful along with a series of leg kicks from different stances.

Alvey’s only hope seemed to be that one of his hopeful strikes would land and shift the momentum.

In the first minute of the third round it looked as if he might do just that as he rocked Watson with a huge shot and started to land a succession of blows on his opponent.

Watson though showed great composure to work his way out of trouble and, though he had to suck up more punishment before the close of the contest, he had already done enough to win it 29-28 on all three scorecards.

A victory and yet another entertaining bout is likely to mean that Watson’s run in the UFC will continue as his stock grows in America thanks to his attention grabbing style.