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Match-up Discussion MK2 Liu Kang VS Kung Lao

MKB

Forum General Emeritus
VS


Rules of this discussion:
  • You may contribute anything that will further the interest and understanding of the matchup. This includes strategies, videos, combos, etc.
  • Feel free to answer the default questions posed in the first reply, though you are not required to do so.
  • Please keep the discussion focused on the two characters in question.
 

MKB

Forum General Emeritus
If there's one matchup I know well, it's this one. Must've played it 100 times with summoning in offline events, lol. Classic matchup of Shaolin Monks.

Both players can make things happen; however when played at the highest level it's really not as close as you would think. Kang's ability to throw insta-fireballs gives him a huge advantage as it takes away Lao's teleport, possibly even his dive kick too unless Lao is fast enough to pull off an insta-bullet kick. Kang can punish missed bullet kicks by ducking and throwing or blocking and HP, bicycle, LK. Kang can punish teleports with the same combo if he is fast enough. If Kang plays a smart keep-away game, he can win this pretty easily most of the time.

For Lao, he needs to get inside to stand a bigger chance of winning. If he trades projectiles, the hat throw will do more damage than a fireball, but of course he can't throw them nearly as fast. Don't engage in spam wars as Kung Lao unless you have a clear life lead. Lao needs to make use of his insta-bullet kicks and whirlwind spins to take control of this match. Liu Kang does have an awesome AA uppercut to counter, but he will usually be blocking a while anticipating a double bullet kick (he may duck and land it anyway.) Find a way to get Kang in the air and go from there.

At the highest level, this is an 8-2 matchup in Kang's favor...but it usually plays out closer to 7-3 since most Kang players can't IAF.
  • Who has the better anti-air and what are the best combo options?
  • Is it better to block Lao jumping in or simply duck?
  • How can Lao counter an insta-fireball happy Kang?
Tagging summoning as he's got some good experience with this one.
 

summoning

Noncompliance to ASTM F 899-12 Standard
My Fav Matchup in the game... and MKillbill is my fav person to play id say we are dead even in this game. Bill and I have played at least 100 of these matches over the years

Lao huge underdog he can't do much, no TP's, no silly dive kicks he gets totally punished. Air fireballs wreck lao, if you play keep away not much he can do

however.... Kang is the one of the easiest chars to AAHP. so if you jump at me i can make this match a 6-4 Kang instead of an 8-2. I personally can 50%+ damage almost everytime with a deathpunch dive kick. I time the short hop kicks while holding back/walking back a step to get the Deathpunch frame out most of the time, then dive kick or double dive

Spin is useless IMHO vs kang because there are just no real situations to use it.

most fun match in the game , i love this match and can play it for hours straight.

Bill you have some vids or links you can post? of our matchups?
 
Reactions: MKB

MKB

Forum General Emeritus
Bill you have some vids or links you can post? of our matchups?
http://www.twitch.tv/kombatnetwork2/b/344594933

This is footage from NEC back in December. Goto 45:52 for our games, and then we played a longer casual set at 1:20:52

*NOTE* DavidGem is on commentary. You'll hear him talking about how he was going to have to change strategy against REO in the grand finals (automatically assuming he was going to beat everyone else.) I guess I missed that memo. ;)

J/K, David it's all good. Much respect to you, my friend.
 

mortal_jason

Kitana's Bodyguard
Lao is one of the best picks against Kang. Still, Kang has an edge....

LAO
Throwing hats from across the screen is a good play. It does more damage than Liu's fireballs, and it protects you from flying/bicycle kicks. Anytime Kang throws a high fireball, if timed right, you can get a jump kick/dive kick combo in. Time your teleports intelligently, namely when you see Kang going into animation for a fireball. Use jump punches to get in close. Kang's jump punch beats just about everyone in the air, except Lao. A surprising big weapon for Lao in this match is his low toe. Kang and Lao have the best low toes in the game. Kang usually likes to turtle and low toe when opponents creep in on him. With Lao, you can out-toe Liu many times. The whirlwind spin DOES have a use in this match! When you're within sweep distance, if you do a jump around kick as Kang low fireballs, you can spin him while he's still stuck in fireball pose. This might sound like a rare oppurtunity, but Kang often does low fireball within sweep because Lao's sweep isn't long enough to trip Liu. His knee (kick, up close) is his best jab option in this match.

KANG
Instant fireballs are definitely helpful in this match. With a steady barrage of low, high, and air fireballs, you can usually keep Lao pinned back. When you do this, Lao often teleports. When he does, just duck and bicycle kick him as he comes up. They are pretty even on CQC but I'd say Kang's thrust (HP close) will connect more than Lao's headbutt. Try punishing Lao's whiffed sweep kicks with a fast bicycle kick. A good play up close is high fireball, then low fireball immediately afterwards (Lao often tries to move forward or sweep after blocking the high fireball). Instant flying kicks are always great from crouch. Avoid jumping too much as Lao tends to own the air.

6-4 for Kang. The best Lao players are incredibly hard to pin down, and will go nearly even with Liu. The fact that Lao can win a spam war with Kang means that Liu will have to do something special vs an elite Lao.
 

Konqrr

MK11 Kabal = MK9 Kitana
This is a bad MU for Lao for sure.

His standing HP is really good against most characters because, like Baraka's HP, it connects against all crouch blocking characters except for Shang and Cage. It will stuff most uppercut attempts if done right. I like to use LPHPHP or variations during pressure starting with standing LP so I don't accidentally get a close HP which effectively ends the pressure.

If you know that Liu is going to do a low fireball, Lao can do a dive kick over it and hit Liu with a spin combo. You have to do this immediately, almost on a read for it to work. Even if you do it late, Liu has to block the spin.
 

summoning

Noncompliance to ASTM F 899-12 Standard
spin timing with the low fireball thing is like less than a sec:)

its usually instant punish:)
 

mortal_jason

Kitana's Bodyguard
spin timing with the low fireball thing is like less than a sec:)

its usually instant punish:)
If Kang is unfortunate enough to low fireball right as you crossover + dive kick, you can hit him with a spin combo. I've played a lot of Lao vs Kang with k408wd1's Liu, and I often get him with this tactic.