Shoulder Rolls In MMA: Can You Use Mayweather’s Defense In The Cage?

You’ve probably seen Floyd Mayweather slip punches in a boxing match like he’s Neo in the Matrix as he hands out boxing clinics. The Philly shell is the foundation of Mayweather’s airtight defense, rarely leaving any openings for opponents to capitalize on. The “Philly shell” or shoulder roll defense looks slick inside the boxing ring, but mixed martial arts (MMA) is a different beast.

This article will explore what makes the shoulder roll such an effective defensive system in boxing and how to adapt it for MMA.

What Is The Shoulder Roll?

The shoulder roll is a defensive tactic used in boxing that evolved from the old-school “cross-arm” guard. You turn your torso sideways, bring your lead shoulder up to shield your chin, and deflect punches by slipping them over your shoulder. Your rear hand stays high by your cheek, ready to parry or counter.

Here’s what the stance looks like:

• Lead Arm: Your lead arm should be low across your belly with your elbow protecting your ribs.
• Lead Shoulder: Your lead shoulder should be high to protect your chin.
• Rear Hand: Your rear hand stays close to your chin, guarding your temple and jaw
• Stance: Favor your side more than you would in your usual stance, you’re basically standing with your torso facing your rear side, while your head and lower body face forward.

The Philly shell is an advanced boxing guard. Master fundamental guards like the high guard before adding it to your game. As effective as the Philly Shell can be, it isn’t the best guard for every situation.

Why The Philly Shell Shines In Boxing

The Philly shell was designed for boxing, and it’s perfect for:

• Deflecting straight punches over your shoulder.
• Setting up counters.
• Conserving energy.

The Philly shell was perfected by fighters like George Benton in gyms all over Philadelphia, hence the name. Mayweather made it one of the most popular defensive systems in boxing with his legendary 50-0 professional career. Even heavyweights like James Toney have enjoyed lots of success with the Philly Shell over the years.

Mayweather’s Twist On The Philly Shell

Most people automatically think Floyd Mayweather when the Philly shell is mentioned, but any member of the Mayweather family will quickly correct you that their family uses the Mayweather shell, not the Philly shell.

Some of the modifications Mayweather made to the Philly shell to make it he’s own unique defensive system include:

• Footwork: The Philly shell typically leaves fighters flat-footed, but Mayweather rarely stays in the same sport for more than a second. He uses it to lure opponents into throwing punches, counters, and moves out of the way.
• Keeps Knees Bent: Many boxers stand up straight when using the Philly shell, but Mayweather bends his knees to make it easier to dip under shots and add more spring to his step.
• Micro-Feints: Mayweather is a master at using his body positioning as feints to lure opponents into traps. For example, he typically sets up his pull counters by dropping his lead arm and leaning his head forward. An opponent bites, and he simply moves his head back to a normal position to avoid the strike and fires off a right hand.
• Shoulders: Shoulder positioning in a traditional Philly shell isn’t that different from a standard stance with both shoulders facing forward, but Mayweather keeps his lead shoulder in front of him to make his head a smaller target. Doing this also allows him to hide his right hand.

Bringing The Roll Into The Cage

MMA brings many new threats that the Philly shell wasn’t designed to deal with, but that doesn’t mean it’s useless. Sean Strickland shocked the world when he dethroned Israel Adesanya to win the middleweight title, and it was the Philly shell that helped him carve a path to victory against one of the best strikers in mixed martial arts.

Some of the lessons we can learn from Strickland and other MMA fighters who have adapted the Philly shell for mixed martial arts include:

• Square up a little bit more so you can check low kicks.
• Use lead‑leg kicks to gauge distances and disrupt leg attacks.
• Add parries and other defensive stances to your arsenal. Don’t just rely on the shoulder roll alone.
• Bend at the knees like Mayweather to improve your mobility.
• Resist the urge to weave under strikes in MMA. That could lead to you eating a kick flush. Instead, slip, parry, block, and move out of the way of incoming attacks.

Adesanya was uncharacteristically only able to land 34% of his punches against Strickland while the latter landed 52% of his, despite being the more seasoned striker. Stickland’s constant forward pressure paired with the Philly shell defense made it impossible for Adesanya to find his rhythm. Watch the above fight for an example of an effective use of the Philly shell in MMA.

When The Roll Doesn’t Cut It

While the Philly shell has a place in mixed martial arts, it can’t save you from everything opponents throw at you, some of which include:

Drills And Tips To Try

Some drills that will help you master the Philly shell include:

• Slip‑And‑Roll Drills: Your instructor or a training partner throws light shots at you, and you deflect with your shoulder and fire back.
• Pad Work: Have your instructor call out combinations while they throw strikes back at you so you can practice defensive techniques.
• Kick-Check To Punch: Have a training partner throw a low kick followed by a straight punch. You check the kick and deflect the punch with your shoulder.

Is The Shoulder Roll Right For You?

The shoulder roll might be right for you if you have excellent reflexes, agility, and timing. It can be effectively used in MMA, but don’t use it like a magic shield. Even people like Mayweather, who have mastered it, don’t do that. Combine it with other defensive stances based on what opponents show you.

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