You can access Extra Breakdowns and Tutorials on the Pro Striking Patreon: www.patreon.com/prostriking Getting down behind the shoulder is essentially what the shoulder roll is all about. The Philly shell, a guard popularized by the computer game fight night which adopted the adage “Philly shell” as a base style for selection, is using the lead arm to protect the body and the rear hand and lead shoulder to protect the chin. The lead arm sits with a 90-degree bend at the elbow bringing the forearm across the body and the elbow tucking in to protect the rib. The shoulder roll isn’t solely defined by the Philly shell, it’s just the Philly shell is a great way to utilize it. The reality is that at some point a fighter’s hands will leave their head and the shoulder is the last line of defense. An example of this could be a fighter feinting to draw the hands away from the guard, or the fighter throws a punch, and a counter is coming before they can get their hands back into position to defend. A fighter may also be pinned to the cage wall or pressed to the ropes where evading is no longer an option, they can no longer retreat backward. In these instances, getting down behind the shoulder can save a fighter.