The mixed martial arts boom has well and truly reached the Middle East, with many gyms now offering extensive training for those interested in taking up one of the fastest-growing sports in the world.

In Dubai, the stylish FitRepublik gym at Sports City has been among those to join the MMA revolution.  Crowned Functional Facility of the Year at the 2015 Fit Awards, FitRepublik boasts a state-of-the-art MMA zone – complete with boxing, kickboxing and Muay Thai, as well as a remarkable octagon.

A collection of high-profile coaches are on hand to help develop fighters, with Anas Sinaj Mounir surely one of the most recognisable. ‘The Moroccan Sensation’ has a 5-1 record on the Desert Force circuit, with his reputation soaring after a recent victory over Jordan’s Tareq Hamdi in Dubai.

Despite being one of the most in-demand Arab fighters around, Sinaj Mounir still finds time to coach and so Sport360 took the opportunity to pick his brains on what it takes to train for MMA. These are the Casablancan grappler’s top three training tips.

TIP 1 – HALF GUARD ESCAPE

TIP 2 – OPEN GUARD PASS

TIP 3 – GUARD PASS