After being knocked down, one way to stop an opponent from attacking is to get up instantly and use a jab. If the opponent is expecting a Delayed Getup, they may try to delay their attack, timing it so that it connects as you are getting up. Using a jab immediately upon getting off the ground will allow you to interrupt the opponent’s attack for a full combo. The downside to this is that if the opponent does not delay their attack, then you will be hit, thus making this an extremely risky option. To reduce the chances of being hit while waking up with a jab, we can take advantage of the input system.

After pressing the Block button and holding it, there is a small window where you are able to input an attack. In doing so, your character will perform the attack even while you are still holding the Block button. What happens is that your character will block for a microsecond, then the attack input will cancel out the character’s blocking animation and cause your character to go directly into their attack.

This can be applied while knocked down by simply holding the Block button, then timing an attack as you are getting up. If done correctly, you will block the opponent’s attack and still be able to interrupt the opponent if they decide to delay their attack.

Though this option select is useful, it is still quite a risky maneuver. If the opponent alters the timing of their attack even slightly, then there is the possibility of your wake-up jab being interrupted during its start-up frames. Regardless, this option select when used correctly can be a very effective way to counter an opponent’s attacks on knockdown.