The English Shem Rock (Shaqueme Rock) may not be unknown to MMA fans. He has recently been competing in Oktagon MMA, has won multiple regional titles and has been fighting professionally for almost a decade. He is one of several debuting fighters at UFC Qatar on Saturday, where he takes on Nurullo Aliev.
Shem Rock
Standing at one and a half meters
Fighting at 155 lbs (lightweight)
32 years old
Fighting from Dublin, Ireland
Training from Next Gen MMA Liverpool
A professional record of 12-1-1
2 KO/TKOs, 9 submissions
Rock is a seasoned veteran of the sport, having competed professionally since 2016. As an amateur he captured titles in Malaysia before continuing his success in Great Britain, where he also claimed several championships. Since suffering his only professional defeat, Rock has bounced back in impressive fashion with six straight victories. For the past two years, he has fought under the banner of Oktagon – Europe’s premier promotion – and has amassed a record of 4-0-1.
A wrestling specialist, Rock has achieved nine of his career victories by submission. He is especially dangerous from the back, where his control, grip transitions and brutal neck attacks shine. While he doesn’t rely heavily on ground-and-pound, he remains active in pursuing submissions, constantly adapting and working to complete. His wrestling is fundamentally sound, with very few mistakes, and he is able to ride top control all the way to the bell or force a tap. Early in the fights, his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu poses a serious threat.
On the feet, Rock mainly operates as a kickboxer. He controls the range with a steady stream of kicks, regularly throwing teeps, leg kicks and powerful body kicks, while mixing in feints to keep the opponents guessing. However, he would benefit from having more confidence in his hands and being able to open up his offense further, especially since his wrestling threat helps create those openings.
Rock’s wrestling is effective, especially if he can integrate it into his overall game. He times his entries well, often shooting low and circling to get the back or hit a mat return. He is also adept at using the cage for takedowns and has shown solid judo skills in the clinch.
The biggest concern is his cardio. After the opening lap, his pace noticeably slows down: he becomes flatter and his performance drops. Although he remains competitive throughout, the later rounds become increasingly tough, with him fighting by increasingly narrow margins.
I don’t see Rock as a top 15 fighter, but I do see him as a fixture in the lightweight division for years to come.
Rock has a tough debut against Nurullo Alive, a dominant wrestler and grappler. Rock will get a chance to show off his jiu-jitsu, but it will be up to him. I was never high on Aliev heading into his Contender Series fight in 2022. He’s one-dimensional and can be quite boring. That said, his wrestling and ground control are at a pretty high level. Rock throws a lot of kicks and that will open up lanes to get the takedowns. In a fight that I think will mainly take place on the mat, I’m going for wrestling and control over jiu-jitsu.
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