Okay let’s get this started
Abel
Ultra selection
Ultra 1
Overview
Abel used to be considered one of Hakans worst match ups in Super, but now I feel like Hakan does really well against him. This is a match up I’ve played countless times, and it’s also helped that I played Abel for over a year and got to a pretty decent level with him. Let’s look at this from a general Abel point of view shall we?..‘Oh look, it’s Hakan, knock him down, and this is free!’…in Super this may have had a little substance, but now it’s much more balanced than that.
Because of hakans changes to his oil dives, and the fact that he’s oiled a lot longer, his mix up game has become much more potent. Sadly for Abel, this has probably had the most dramatic effect in matchup terms. Basically, Abel can’t use any reversals, aside from the risky EX falling Sky, to avoid oil dives…EX TT, EX roll, EX CoD, normal roll…TT, they all get beat. But wait, at least he can backdash out right? Nope, because there’s now the all purpose dives. So this means, in a lot of instances, his only option is to attempt to crouch normal on wake-up. I won’t hesitate in saying this but if you score a knockdown on Abel, go in. Just go for it, pressure him with oil dives, then add in some safe slide pressure/Oil Rockets. If he has meter then watch out for EX TT, but this is easily baited out. Try to OS grab/dive off of jump ins to catch any EX roll/backdash attempts. Abel struggles against pressure, so pressure him. Once he’s been forced into relying on crouching normals, he’s at your mercy. Use meaty attacks, Oil Rockets, Safe jumps, frametraps…and you can end, or at least take a lot of life from him.
So ok, that makes it sound pretty easy for hakan, but definitely that isn’t the case. I feel this matchup is all about the knockdown, TT/normal throw is what abel will be using to set up his mixups. Hakan can easily stop Abels approach while he’s oiled, and make it really difficult to get in. You can frustrate Abel using this tactic, and score some easy knockdowns of your own. I feel like hakan gets knockdowns slightly easier Abel, so scout for that far range f.hk, or f.mp into slide.
If abel does score a TT against you, hakan has some really good options against the mixup. backdash is an obvious one, although you might end up forward dashing, so it’s still a guess in the end. A better one to use would be backdash parry, because if Abel ends on either side, you’ll blow through any normal, including crouching hp, as long as that’s a backdash cancel. EX rocket is also a good option, and if you can nail this early on, you’ve put a massive dent into his game, because now he’s likely to jump, which allows you to backdash out for free, or you could wait…and punish the jump in. Little things like this can go a long way.
Footsies wise hakan wins, simple. In general, I feel like Oiled hakan is too strong for Abel, he has too many options. The sad thing for Abel is that focus attack is godlike against stepkick, if you land level 1 focus against stepkick, which isn’t difficult at all…he’s in trouble. Stepkick leaves Abel standing so in this position you can use Hakans vast array of standing resets you like, which lead to horrendous damage, then a knockdown…then another mixup. You really can make Abel’s life a misery.
Advanced Tactics
So if you block a stepkick, you’re usually worried about TT. Never be afraid to backdash, hakan has one of the best in the game while Oiled, so make use of this. You’re also best off, against a very acute Abel player, to use backdash into CC. This is good because it completely ducks under stepkicks, and gives you a free command grab/ultra punish, so adapt to the situation. Another sneaky option, if you have good reactions, is to use EX dive, which will completely stuff any normal throw/TT attempts after step kicks, for a HUGE momentum swing. Again, if Abel is at that standing light kick/step kick range, just let the focus go, he has nothing there that will mess you up aside from a random wheel kick. Speaking of which, if you block wheel kicks, reversal with LK Oil Dive.
If you find yourself out of oil, you’re still OK, use st.hp, st.mp to keep Abel at bay, and try and create some space for yourself…if you have meter if might be worth doing an EX cancel because the difference between Oiled Hakan vs Abel and Unoiled Hakan vs Abel is huge. So make it count.
The reason I choose Ultra 1 against Abel is because it’s so easy to get in, if you’re confident with your Ultra setups, you can make a safe bet you’re going to get a ton of chances to land one. One advanced tactic is to focus through stepkick, and then reset into ultra off say a st.mp for example. Not difficult at all, but the payoff is huge. You need to be thinking along these lines as a Hakan player, get creative!
If you’re fullscreen and Abel has ultra 1, don’t use LK Oil, bait him out with an EX cancel, and score a heavy punish.
Okay thoughts? Anything I’m missing, should add in? Should I make the rest of them like this?
