You win survival games by surviving. That means avoiding fights when possible, unless you know there’s no other choice or that you will benefit greatly from winning a fight. If you must fight, don’t be a good sport about it. Take down your enemy quickly to minimize the chance of injury to you. If you can spring an ambush, that’s even better.
If you do get into a fight, avoiding hits is your number one concern. Don’t attack until your opponent is vulnerable. Your chances of scoring a hit aren’t good, so you need all the advantages you can get. Don’t forget that you can change weapons—but only before the actual fighting begins.