Mika you want to concentrate on a few key points - I donāt play Balrog butā¦
Jump ins - you donāt have a DP so you want to leave your AA a touch late incase she splashes. Your AA should be solid and stopping her air attacks is one of if not the most important things in the entire match. Splash is punishable on block and highly punishable on whiff ( you could sweep or rush punch it easily). Itās a very good idea to air to air her with either a neutral or a back jump plus button. Mika players LOVE to jump to get block stun, you really have to be solid with this. They even jump when they have you in the corner, so get used to those jumping normals, again maybe something like jump back fierce or mp. Get in to training and record Mika jumping about crazy with normals and splashes and get your AA bullet proof.
Mid range - you want to look for three main options that arenāt so good if you can counter them. Slide - almost always punishable with a combo and easily whiff punishable, charge HK - stop this with a jab , jump out or a button, even V -reversal it if you have bar and you block it, get into training and recognise the start of a charge HK. You must try not to block this and if you do, do not press anything after. Protect your space with good poking normals and look to make her slide whiff. The third is her crouch HP ( the roll move) this can be spaced but get a feel for it, you can return fire on this move a lot so get a safe block string combo and use it right there if she makes you block this standing, hit back with something like jab - medium xx special or just another medium.
Close , you want to block and wait for one- two normals to be blocked then try a back dash, walk back away from her or a jump out. Iāve seen a lot of Mika players use the block pattern - normal normal - roll, normal normal dash up, normal normal command grab etc. If you get knocked down youāve got to hold it but jump back tech is effective ( hold up back and press throw) in stopping a lot of her close momentum, use sparingly. If she uses the towards HP ( puts her hand up in the air) and you block do not press anything. This move is ridiculous.
In the corner - do not tech, do not press shit, either take a gamble on a jump or take a command throw. Mix up your wake ups between quick and no wake up. Concentrate on just escaping. You just have to accept this is a terrible spot and try to just get out. This could be a good spot to try a v-trigger cancel since youāll get to use a high risk button like sweep but make it safe.
On her KD meaty will win everytime, sheās also susceptible to lows sometimes because a lot of her pressure comes from standing and sheās an aggressive character who wants to attack.
V -reversal her V trigger.
Itās also a good idea if Mika gets close to deliberately cross her over with a jump even if it gets blocked. Once you hit the corner this gets more difficult so if you feel yourself approaching the corner try and work yourself over ( or under if she jumps close) to get back to having real estate behind you. Be aware of what part of the screen you are standing in.
AA again, so important , if you can keep her on the deck then you can start to make her use her more riskier grounded options.
Nothing ground breaking in these tips but if youāre not doing the basics right then sheāll just disrespect the fuck out of you.
Also watch lots of high level matches to see why/when/how they deal with situations.
