About Us

We offer individual and small group training in boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, jiu-jitsu, MMA and self-defence. Prices start at a £40/hr standard rate, with discounted rates for students and minimum wage workers as well as a one-off £10 trial session for all new clients.

We work with an information-based technical approach, designed to create both hobbyists and combat sport athletes who not only understand the correct mechanics of martial art techniques and the fundamental concepts of striking and grappling, but can also apply them optimally when needed.

We do not train people ‘how to fight’, as fighting is an art with no definitive answer or dominant style rather than an exact science. Instead, we introduce them to a wide range of styles and help them to develop one that works for their body type, skillset and individual preferences, through a combination of quality coaching and excellent training partners.

Our approach is showing signs of success, with our coaches compiling a 3-1 amateur K1 record in the very early stages of competition as well as a large number of extremely positive interclub performances with the athletes they work with. So if you’re interested in competing, getting fitter or learning a new skill, feel free to get in touch through our Contact Us page or directly at tom@hypaspistmma.co.uk

We specialise in mixed martial arts striking. Most gyms use a mixture of boxing and muay thai to cover the standup aspect of MMA, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but we find that these days a combination of two individual disciplines fails to cover all the things happening in top-level competition.

Between Dominick Cruz’s first-and-third concept, Petr Yan using frames to nullify Cory Sandhagen’s reach advantage, Khalil Rountree Jr blowing out Modestas Bukauskas’ knee with a single low-line side kick, Rafael Fiziev and Brad Riddell’s burst counters, and Dustin Poirier changing the face of modern MMA for six months by setting up the finish of Conor McGregor with calf kicks, there is far too much going on these days to only train disparate martial arts and hope to develop the answers to new problems when you see them in the cage for the first time.

We are constantly evaluating the current landscape and amending our training to reflect it, so that our fighters are on the cutting edge of MMA striking.

Head Coach, Tom Hepburn

I am a long-time martial arts coach with a background in amateur MMA, and have prepared and cornered fighters for shows such as BMF MMA, Unity Fighting Championship, Combat Challenge, Niko Fight Night, Tailor Made Combat, Tanko, Rise to the Top, Duel Contender and Industry Boxing Events.

While I was never a great fighter myself, I have an expansive and adaptive coaching skillset that I believe allows me to offer something to everyone that walks through the door at Hypaspist MMA. That is primarily because this is not just a job for me but a lifelong passion, and I am continually striving to better myself at it every day.

From studying current and former fights from amateur debuts up to UFC title level, to listening to podcasts from analysts like Jack Slack and the Heavy Hands boys, to attending seminars from elite competitors and coaches like Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, Firas Zahabi, Brandon Gibson and Joe Schilling, I am always pushing myself to be a better coach so that I can make the people I work with better at what they do.