For people that hold up back-
What I would do is a deep dive kick, then go into delayed strings with delayed st.jab, this not also baits out reversals but also reset people out of jump back start up frames.
Even better you should prob use a deep dive kick into low attack chains (cr.lk x3) so that it becomes a true blockstring, that way if it they stand up, hold up back or try to backdash they’ll get tag low. If you confirm the low attack hitting after about 2~3 hits go into stjab into st.mp -> ex tornado. Once people get tag a few times by the low true blockstring, they’ll become conditioned to stay grounded more often.
The key is mixing up your offense angle of attack.
Back, front, high, low, empty jump low, empty jump throw, empty jump into instant dive kick to blow up standing + regular crouch teching.
But let’s say you want something a little more beefy as a punish. J.hk is ideal, but if your reaction is too slow, implement anticipation into your game instead of raw reaction.
Now my raw reaction is actually pretty slow compared to my peers, so to compensate i anticipate my opponent’s movement based on their meter & spacing. If you’ve cornered & kept somebody in the corner for example, most people eventually try to escape instinctively by doing a reversal or jumping back/forward. When you realize this you start to actively look for that jump/movement. You need to have your counter ready at all times while maintaining the zone you established (whether it be an anti air or normals buffered). Since your finger is already on the trigger, you’re able to execute your counter a lot faster than your normally would be able to. For me it’s 70% anticipation 30% reaction.
So back to my j.hk example. What i would do if i notice an opponent is holding back during my strings while in neutral position is to go into a deep dive kick into into 2~3 cr.lk chains… then i stop. I see what they want to do. Since i’m expecting a jump back/reversal from their previous defense patterns, my mind & fingers are already waiting. As soon as you see them jump, Hold up + j.hk immediately. If they’re don’t jump and still grounded, go for another short dive kick to continue your momentum. Obviously you cant autopilot and keep doing this, there’s usually always a counter for everything.
Sometimes some players use jump back jab/mp due to it’s faster startup to beat j.hk. In this situation, if their jump back move doesn’t have much active frames just delay your j.hk by abit. But if there’s too much active frames it’s prob best to just wait and go straight into ex snake strike rather than j.hk. Now this takes quite a bit of concentration so if you can’t do it, then it’s cool. Just let them corner them self with the jump back. If you cant react, just keep walking forward.
Against people that like to hold focus backdash on neutral position there’s a few things you need to consider.
Are they holding focus to lev 1~2 on your dive kick and then letting it go before they backdash?
If they are, you have to control your dive kick release better so that it hits deeper (at their knees). This will then allow you to ex messiah through the focus. If you got no meter, either empty jump into throw if you see the focus, if you’re already committed to the dive kick in the air, aim low to their knees then as soon as you land you’ll be able to backdash to make the focus whiff. Once it whiffs just punish with sweep.
**Is your opponent holding focus just to absorb the dive kick then backdashing? **
I have a old chunli sparing buddy that did this to me quite alot back then. I eventually figured out the counter by dive kicking a bit higher (to the chest). As soon as they absorb the dive kick and backdash, my dive kick (since at mid height) will land right next to their character where you can then use st.lk into a confirm. Most of the time you’ll be too far away for st.hp to connect off st.lk, but if you have meter you can always go into st.lk -> cr.lp -> ex tornado or a st.mp -> ex tornado variation. At worst, your st.lk will either reset them (due to fast backdashers like chun/rose) and at best a hitconfirm on their dash recovery.
Remember no matter how high you place the divekick, rufus is always safe. At the highest point on block (aimed at the top of the head), his dive kick is -2. So only press buttons if you see that mid/high dive kick is being focused, if it’s blocked, dont do anything you’ll get jabbed out.
Alternatively you can do a short divekick to the knee, this will make you recover quick enough to tack a st.mp to hit the recovery of most backdashes. It will def hit if you do the divekick - j.hp meaty.
I did this against Luffy when he was at shadowloo last year to alot of success. That was before rufus could combo st.mp -> ex tornado… now that you can, things just got alot more interesting.
