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You Got CAGED! - The Johnny Cage Matchup Thread

A F0xy Grampa

Problem X Promotions
There is, its called square wave, if the kitana abuses it you're in big trouble. It's nearly unpunishable and beats almost everything during its active frames. Safe on block too if they do the instant air one. It gets the kitana out of the corner for free unless you specifically go for interrupting it, and if kitana doesnt do it and does something like fan or lift you eat a combo.

Square wave isnt free vs Cage, he can punish with B3 as shes landing, you just gotta get the spacing right and make the other guy scared to use it.
 

Dizzy

False Information Police Officer
Premium Supporter
NetherRealm Studios
Square wave isnt free vs Cage, he can punish with B3 as shes landing, you just gotta get the spacing right and make the other guy scared to use it.
Yeah, but the only way that would work is if you are about 2/3 screen away from Kitana and she uses it, landing pretty close to you. Point blank you can hope to hit her out of it with a normal if you are lucky (usually not the case). A smart kitana would only use this when at least somewhat near Cage, to escape him, not when he is far away to begin with.

When done near cage (moves her quite far away) it is only punishable by a EX shadowkick which is not something i would use 1 bar for a 12% punish and knocks her full screen away anyways. Even then if timed even slightly wrong kitana gets a free combo.
 

jbthrash

Nut Breaker
Square wave isnt free vs Cage, he can punish with B3 as shes landing, you just gotta get the spacing right and make the other guy scared to use it.
If there abusing the square wave high force ball can stop it. It's more of a bluff really. You have to predict it really well. However, I found that most Kitana players will stop after they get hit by the force ball.
 

A F0xy Grampa

Problem X Promotions
If there abusing the square wave high force ball can stop it. It's more of a bluff really. You have to predict it really well. However, I found that most Kitana players will stop after they get hit by the force ball.
If you're within the square wave range, you're also in the range therye gonna be scared to throw fans as much. Kinda similar to how if you're in reptiles dash range he wont dash.
 

Name v.5.0

Iowa's Finest.
Against a good defensive Kitana, JC is 3-7. She wont square wave until she absolutely has to. There is no way to space and punish her because she's spacing you too. To green ball her out of it would take Jedi reflexes.

The worst is when a Kitana player doesnt even try for combo damage, just backs up and strictly air fans for the first round, and then half of the 2nd round. Then all of the sudden tricks you as youre dashing ducking in, and starts up some god damn 50% unbreakable combo.

oh hey, dont forget you can barely frame trap her because of D+1, D+1, D+1, D+1, D+1, D+1...hate that fucking bitch.
 

jbthrash

Nut Breaker
Against a good defensive Kitana, JC is 3-7. She wont square wave until she absolutely has to. There is no way to space and punish her because she's spacing you too. To green ball her out of it would take Jedi reflexes.

The worst is when a Kitana player doesnt even try for combo damage, just backs up and strictly air fans for the first round, and then half of the 2nd round. Then all of the sudden tricks you as youre dashing ducking in, and starts up some god damn 50% unbreakable combo.

oh hey, dont forget you can barely frame trap her because of D+1, D+1, D+1, D+1, D+1, D+1...hate that fucking bitch.
Agreed.
 

A F0xy Grampa

Problem X Promotions
Against a good defensive Kitana, JC is 3-7. She wont square wave until she absolutely has to. There is no way to space and punish her because she's spacing you too. To green ball her out of it would take Jedi reflexes.

The worst is when a Kitana player doesnt even try for combo damage, just backs up and strictly air fans for the first round, and then half of the 2nd round. Then all of the sudden tricks you as youre dashing ducking in, and starts up some god damn 50% unbreakable combo.

oh hey, dont forget you can barely frame trap her because of D+1, D+1, D+1, D+1, D+1, D+1...hate that fucking bitch.
Her d1 is no better than most other peoples for escape, you just gotta condition them to not want to use it. Mixing up your strings with cage against anybody is the best thing you can do, make them want to block and scared to poke. Because at any time the over head could come or the rest of the string/Forceballs could come etc etc.

Obviously its not in Cages favour but just play smart as if you're playing vs SZ.
 

Durango

Enhancer
He's pretty bad against Cyber Sub. That parry alone keeps him from doing his combos. Plus his dive kick is hard to punish.

If you just Shadow Kick, it does negligible damage.
 

Fenro

Nordic myth
What do you guys think about the Sheeva matchup... i can't seem to "Cage" her as efficiently.
All in all if you are on the rush against her she has very few options without burning her meter for armored grab. all her strings are very slow. you can punish her stomp by choosing a right evade and getting a B3 through for big damage, her lows can be jumped imo its a very easy match up for johnny