MIXED Martial Arts (MMA) is undeniably one of the world's most violent sports.

A fighter is allowed to punch, kick, elbow and even knee his opponent, hoping to knock him out cold or force the referee to stop the contest.

Or he can use judo-style throws to take an adversary down to the canvas, then make him quit (or 'tap out') by applying a painful submission hold.

The sport – best known for taking place inside an eight-sided 'Octagon' cage – is bare-knuckle boxing, wrestling, ju-jitsu, kick boxing and other martial arts all rolled into one.

It's not for the faint-hearted, either to watch and especially to take part in.

But the lads who train at the new Morecambe MMA Centre on Edward Street absolutely love it.

Once the home of Morecambe's British Legion, the old building has been transformed into a 'fight club' for budding MMA warriors.

Owners James Waldie and Carl Noon have kitted the large upstairs room out as a swish MMA gym – complete with massive padded mat floor, several boxing-style heavy bags and their own mini 'training cage' in the corner.

MMA classes start at 6pm three nights a week (Tuesdays and Fridays, including a beginners' class on Thursdays) run by top trainers from Burnley, Mick Sinclair and his brother Rob, British Lightweight Champion.

The Guardian popped down on a Tuesday night to see Mick put the trainees through their paces.

Carl, an up-and-coming professional fighter who won his last two contests in less than 35 seconds, took part in the session.

James describes Carl as "a beast". Having watched the muscular, shaven-headed Lancastrian destroy a Lithuanian opponent inside a cage on ITV4's 'Caged Gladiators' last November, he's certainly the last person we'd mess with.

Sweating profusely, Carl breaks off from training to explain why the centre has opened.

"I've been training for two years, going to the Sinclair MMA gym in Burnley. At the time there was nowhere round here that did it.
"(MMA) teaches you a bit of discipline and how to control your aggression.

"The training is tough, but after a while your body gets used to it.
"A lot of young lads don't have respect for other people. They can come down here and do something positive rather than get themselves in trouble."

Centre co-owner James Waldie from Heysham, while not a fighter himself, also takes part in the class.

"I've started doing it myself for fitness training, to lose a few pounds.

"The training is really intense. Even the warming up, doing stretches, doing circuits, working on the bags, there's a lot of cardio in it.

"The fighting looks worse than it is. It's like human chess, like boxing, but safer. Nobody gets permanently injured or killed.

"You have a fight with somebody and at the end, you shake hands."
Although MMA is indeed statistically safer than boxing, it is still undeniably a brutal business and only those who have 'the eye of the tiger' will make it.

After the students don special fingerless gloves, gumshields and kickpads then pair off for intense four-minute sparring sessions, many collapse exhausted, some good-naturedly complaining of aches and pains after the gruelling combat.

"If you come here, you've got to be prepared to get hurt...there's no fannying around!" says one trainee, Scott Theobald from Lancaster.

"Even so, I love every bit of it. I've learned loads here already."

Mick Sinclair, who teaches the students how best to survive this 'pain game', seems impressed with his proteges' efforts as the 90-minute session ends. "It's going well," says Mick.

"Some people just come to get fit. Others want to fight in competition.
"But to do that, they've got to train twice a day, six days a week.
"You've got to make it your life!"

The Sinclair MMA gym also holds classes in Thai Boxing (Mondays, 6pm and Wednesdays 7.45pm) and boxing (Mondays, 7.45pm).

A women's boxercise class takes place on Wednesdays (6pm) and circuit training is on Saturdays (10am).

Simply turn up to take part (16 plus only) or see sinclair MMA.co.uk for more information.