Cody
Lauded as a hero in the rescuing of Mayor Mike Haggar's daughter Jessica from the Mad Gear Gang in Metro City, it was expected for Cody to live a promising future as Jessica was also his girlfriend. However, the lure of combat from battling Mad Gear never left his blood and Cody turned to a life of constant fighting out of boredom! Eventually, his penchant for picking random brawls landed him in jail, and his relationship with Jessica was permanently ruined. But from time to time, Cody escapes prison almost at will and returns to the life of fighting, now taking to the Street Fighting circuit to find opponents.
In a nutshell
Cody is a rather versatile character who can play a strong defense with Bad Stone and Ruffian Kicks, but at the same time can be scary to deal with when he gets on the offense. He has a very method of attacking, utilizing Frame Traps and Hit Comfirms to deal most of his damage. He also has one of the farthest Overheads in the game. However, Cody suffers from a weak defense, especially being burdened with one of the wosrt Back Dashes in the game. He's definitely a character who has to work hard for his victories, which is odd considering how bored Cody is.
Moves
Unique Attacks
Throws
Special Moves
Super Combo
Ultra Combos
Frame Data
Move Analysis
Cody has a rather large arsenal of great normals to apply pressure, bait-and-punish, fish for counter-hits, and stun opponents.
Unique Attacks
Cody has amazing command normals which mostly all leave him at some kind of frame advantage.
- Stomach blow (F+mp.) - +1 block, +6 hit
- One of Cody's best, as it leaves him +1 on block, and it moves him forward as well. Can be hit-confirmed into a cr.lp or cr.mp (1-frame link) into a combo.
- Crack Kick (F+hk) - +1 block, knocks down on hit
- A great move. Though it has quite a bit of start up time, it moves Cody forward a lot, and is useful in setting up tick throws. If hit, Cody can follow up with a EX-Criminal Upper.
- Jaw Crusher (B+mp) - -1 block, +5 hit
- One of the best anti-airs in the game. This move beats out almost any air-to-ground move if timed right (even Bison's EX-Headstomp), and being -1 on block, it leaves the opponent with no options for reversal.
- Hammer Hook (F+hp) - -6 block, -1 hit
- One of Cody's only command normals to have disadvantages on hit/block. This is a semi-quick overhead, which hits twice, meaning it can go through Focuses. Strong move, but not recommended for heavy usage.
- Slide Kick (D+mk) - -6 block, -3 hit
- An odd move which slides Cody along the floor. Goes under moves that hit high, and great for escaping cross-up attempts. Use seldomly during pressure as it is easily punishable.
Normal Throws
- F+mp+mk
- Cody grabs the opponent and tosses them about half-screen distance. Good for getting an opponent off of a pressure-heavy game, as well as good spacing for some Bad Stones.
- B+mp+mk
- Cody grabs the opponent and jumps on their back, possibly causing long-term arthritus. Excellent for spacing, getting out of corners, and moving yourself towards the Knife.
Focus Attack
Cody pulls out his wrench and swings downward.
- A decent focus. Moves Cody slightly backwards during charge, making him difficult to jump over. The actual swing itself is somewhat slow, but his charge time is pretty quick. Not too bad, but not recommended for jump-ins. He has plenty of anti-airs for those.
Special Moves
- Bad Stone (QCF+P)
- Cody picks up a rock from the ground and throws it. Range is determined by punch, and he can hold the stone to throw it at a different interval.
- Though it has 29 frames of startup, it's recovery is 16, 18, and 20 for jab, strong, and fierce. Cody can do well in fireball wars, though he will eventually lose.
- Bad Stone is best used for zoning and meaty attacks on the opponent's wake-up, and the EX-version hits twice.
- EX-Bad Stone is an amazing move. Hit-confirmable into cr.hp or U2 for crazy damage.
- Cody picks up a rock from the ground and throws it. Range is determined by punch, and he can hold the stone to throw it at a different interval.
- Bad Spray (U+P on techable knockdowns. Instead of pressing a button when impacted against floor, press up+punch)
- Cody recovers quickly and throws dirt at the opponent, causing a knockdown if hit.
- A good move to throw out every once in a while if an opponent won't let off pressure.
- Though it has it's uses, it should be used very sparingly, as it has 29 frames of recovery, IS focusable, can be hit out of before the dirt is even thrown, and leaves you at a -20 frame disadvantage if the opponent blocks.
- Cody recovers quickly and throws dirt at the opponent, causing a knockdown if hit.
- Fake Bad Stone (D+hp+hk)
- Cody picks up what appears to be rocks, but, OH, SNAP, SON! He didn't grab anything!
- Great move for faking out the opponent and punishing accordingly.
- Though it is quicker than Bad Stone, it still has a pretty long startup time (32 frames), leaving Cody open for punishment if the opponent is close or poorly spaced.
- Cody picks up what appears to be rocks, but, OH, SNAP, SON! He didn't grab anything!
- Knife Pick-up (D+PPP)
- Cody grabs the conviently placed knife in the middle of the stage.
- Cody gets great range with the knife and his moves gain priority, but he loses the amazing F+mp.
- Knife is good in footsie games, but if Cody is hit, he drops it.
- Cody drops the knife if he:
- Gets hit
- Throws or gets thrown
- Does a focus attack
- Does an Ultra
- The knife will remain in Cody's hand after Criminal Uppers and Ruffian Kicks.
- Cody can throw the knife by inputting the Bad Stone command (QCF+P)
- Cody can follow up with a combo if he catches someone with the knife throw in the corner, as it leaves them in a free-juggle state.
- Cody grabs the conviently placed knife in the middle of the stage.
- Ruffian Kick (QCF+K)
- Cody's signature move. Short is a sliding sweep kick, Forward is sliding thrust-kick, and Roundhouse is a sliding 90-degree-angled-cramping-leg kick.
- Short Ruffian Kick (QCF+lk)
- 15 frames of startup make this the slowest one. It, however, has the best distance of the three, hits low, and has the least advantage on block (but still recovers more slowly than Forward).
- Can be comboed from cr.mp.
- Forward Ruffian Kick (QCF+mk)
- At 11 frames, this move comes out quickly and does the most damage of the three variations. -8 on block makes it very punishable, so it is best used in hit-confirmed combos.
- Can be comboed from cr.lk and cr.mp.
- Roundhouse Ruffian Kick (QCF+hk)
- The fastest Ruffian of the three comes out in 7 frames, but is also the most dangerous to throw out, as it has -19 frames of disadvantage on block, and whiffs completely on crouching characters. Whiffing this move means 27 frames of recovery.
- Great anti-air. Incredible priority.
- Can be Super-cancelled and FADCed.
- Zonk Knuckle (Charge P 2+ seconds, release P)
- Cody does a 360 spin and follows up with a wicked punch, saying "Bingo!" for some reason.
- The Zonk Knuckle has a variety of uses, and should be used in as many practical ways as possible. Such variations include:
- Pressure
- Anti-air (requires precise timing)
- Breaking armor
- Comboing
- Going through projectiles
- Beware that while the move may seem incredible at first, it only has upper-body invincibility, meaning that any attack that hits low will hit Cody out of it, unless it's EX. It is also very unsafe, being -8 on block (EX is -7)
- EX-Zonk Knuckle has 16 frames of full-body invincibility. This is one of Cody's only decent wake-up options. However, it doesn't auto-correct like a DP, meaning timing is essential, and if baited, can leave Cody in a very punishable situation. In this case, sometimes it's best to use 3 stocks of meter to FADC out of a blocked EX-Zonk to backdash to safety and regain momentum of the fight.
- The Zonk Knuckle has a variety of uses, and should be used in as many practical ways as possible. Such variations include:
- Cody does a 360 spin and follows up with a wicked punch, saying "Bingo!" for some reason.
Super Combos
Dead End Irony
- QCF+K
- Cody does a Ruffian Kick, followed by a series of kicks, Final-Fight-style. Damage - 350
Uses
- Depending on the kick pressed, Cody will do a different kick, similar to his normal Ruffian Kicks. Short hits low (must block low accordingly), and forward and roundhouse hit high.
- Roundhouse DEI is useful as an anti-air, because of it's great priority, and Cody will usually wait for the opponent to come down to finish the whole Super
- DEI can be Super-cancelled out of roundhouse Ruffian Kick (short and forward Ruffians are not Super-or-FADC-able), Bad Stone, as well as the initial hit of a Criminal Upper.
- Decent damage, and very hit-confirmable, but may not always be the best option, as Cody's wake-up options sometimes rely heavily on meter.
Cons
- The whole Super-animation follows, regardless if the opponent is hit or not. If completely blocked, Cody can get punished hard.
- Hit-confirming into DEI causes massive scaling, so the damage may not be worth it depending on how many hits landed prior to the Super.
- Sometimes, when using DEI as an anti-air, Cody will get the first kick, but the opponent will land, and Cody will continue to whiff the rest of the kicks. Cody gets punished.
Ultra Combos
Final Destruction (I)
- QCFx2+PPP
- Cody lands a devastating punch, exclaiming "Jackpot!", and continues to batter the opponent, finishing them off with the greatest Criminal Upper ever. Damage - 468
- Uses
- FD is Cody's combo Ultra. If the initial punch connects, the rest of the Ultra animation will follow.
- More geared towards players who prefer comboability as opposed to punish-damage or gambles.
- Can be comboed from FADC-ed roundhouse Ruffian Kicks and EX-Zonks.
- Useful anti-air if timed at the peak of the opponent's jump.
- Cons
- 14 frames of start-up, meaning this Ultra comes out slowly, much like Ken's Shinryuken.
- 50 frames of recovery spells bad news for blocked/whiffed Ultra.
- Damage scaling makes this Ultra do very sub-par damage at times.
- Bad reach (like, really bad) makes it difficult to punish certain moves, and sometimes whiffs completely in combos.
Last Dread Dust (II) QCBx2+PPP
- Cody scuffs a large wave of dirt from the ground, and, while the opponent is still blinded/hit-stunned, he dashes towards the opponent and bludgeons them with a handy wrench, pops them in the air, and destroys their spine with a rather large pipe, causing internal bleeding, and most likely, death.
- Uses
- LDD is Cody's punish Ultra. It is capable of punishing a great deal of special moves and some normals (mostly sweeps). Last Dread Dust Punish List - A noteworthy compilation of moves punishable with this Ultra.
- Great reach (almost half-screen) makes it possible to punish poorly spaced projectiles.
- The dirt hits 7 times total, and will usually negate the effects of armor-moves (I.E. Balrog's EX-dash punch, Abel's Breathless, etc.)
- Can be linked off certain normals. F+mp. on counterhit, st.mp. (1-frame link), and (knife)cr.hp (1-frame link). High risk/medium-high reward.
- Can be used if the opponent attempts to jump in attack, but requires precise timing. If done correctly, the opponent will land, but the full Ultra will connect. If done incorrectly, the dirt will hit the opponent in the air, but the rest of the hits will not connect.
- Great for chip wins!
- Cons
- Very punishable (47 frames of recovery after the upswing). Can be reversal-Ultra'd before and after the dirt kick, and after the upswing.
- If Ultra connects at any point while the enemy is in the air, the dirt will connect, but the swings will whiff, and Cody can be punished, except in very rare circumstances where only one of the dust hits connect, and Cody follows up with the rest of the swings (I.E. at the peak of Ryu's air-tatsu).
- In some instances, the follow-up after the dirt kick is slow enough so that the enemy can block it, even if the dirt connected. This happens if the opponent is too far away when the dirt hits (I.E. Blanka ball on block)
The Basics
Footsies
Cody has a decent footsie-game. His best pokes are:
- Standing short
- Crouching short
- Crouching strong
- Standing forward
- Crouching fierce
- Crouching roundhouse
The Footsies Handbook by Maj from www.sonichurricane.com - read it, then, read it again, AND THEN... be amazed. Then, learn. Seriously. Do it. It is the ultimate guide to ever understanding footsies in any fighting game.
Hit Confirmation
- Hit-confirming is the central basis of Cody's combos, as most of them stem from cr.lp, cr.mp -> special move. Train yourself to see if a cr.lp connects. If it does, continue with another cr.lp or cr.mp and cancel into a move. If blocked, continue to apply pressure through Cody's amazing pokes, or tick throw setups.
- Cody is a hit-confirmable character. His standing and crouching jabs are easily linkable into crouching strong and crouching short, which can be followed by a Criminal Upper or Ruffian Kick.
- Mastering his links and hit-confirmable combos should be top priority when learning Cody.
Tick Throws
- Tick-throwing, the act of throwing out a fast, close-range poke (such as a short or jab), and then following up with a throw immediately after block-stun stops, is a great asset to Cody's pressure game.
- Mix up your tick-throws by trying a different set-up each time, to avoid techs and punishes.
Pressure
- Much of Cody's game relies on his ability to apply pressure, to avoid being put on the defensive. Cody's defense is really bad, so, he makes up for it with a strong offense.
- Cody has awesome normals, most of which leave him at a frame advantage, even on block.
Advanced Strategy
Tick-Throw Setups
- Though Cody's walk speed is incredibly slow, he still has the potential for some decent tick-throw setups, which include (but, of course, not limited to):
- F+mp.,cr.lp., walk forward, throw
- F+mp., walk forward, throw
- F+mp., cr.lp., cr.lp., F+mp., walk forward, throw
- D+mk. (slide), cr.lp., walk forward, throw
- D+mk., cr.lp., F+mp., walk forward, throw
- Nj.hp., walk forward, throw
- Nj.hp., cr.lp., F+mp., cr.lp., walk forward, throw
- J.mk. (crossup), cr.lp., walk forward, throw
- Cr.lp. walk forward, cr.lp., walk forward, cr.lp., walk forward, throw
- (On crouching opponent) F+hk. (Crack Kick) whiff, throw
- (On crouching opponent) F+hk., cr.lp., cr.lp., walk forward, throw
- (On crouching opponent) F+hk., nj.hp., cr.lp., walk forward, throw
- (On crouching opponent) F+mp., cr.lp., F+hk. whiff, throw
Mind Games
- Cody's great pressure game can often make the opponent nervous, and this is one of the biggest advantages to gain in the fight. Some situations include:
- Cody has scored a knockdown. He can take a risk and go for a meaty short Ruffian Kick, whiff a jab during their waking-up state and attempt a throw when they are in neutral stance, meaty Hammer Hook (overhead), jump and go for a crossup, or even just block (watch for wake-up throws).
- The opponent has just jumped towards Cody. He can go for the roundhouse Ruffian Kick (and maybe even follow up with a forward Ruffian if they're high enough) for the knockdown, Jaw Crusher (B+mp.) for the reset, then dashing forward and applying pressure, st.hk. for a reset and following up with a meaty short or forward Ruffian Kick, a well-timed EX-Zonk-FADC-U1 for good damage and knockdown.
Knife Strategies and Reactions
- In my opinion, the knife deserves it's own section, mainly for the way the opponent acts after Cody picks it up. Every player is different, but most will either fall under one of two categories:
- Aggressive
- When the opponent becomes aggressive, Cody can use this opportunity to punish things the opponent wouldn't normally just throw out without thinking. With the fantastic reach of cr.lp. with the knife, hit-confirming is quite easy, and the damage is decent.
- The opponent will begin to jump more as well, in an attempt to catch Cody off guard, but Cody has cr.hp. With the knife, this is an incredible anti-air if timed properly. U1 is also quite good if timed correctly.
- In all, when the opponent becomes more aggressive, use every opportunity possible to capitalize on poor mistakes.
- Defensive
- When the opponent becomes defensive, Cody can gain a great momentum in the fight. With the knife doing good chip damage, the opponent may become nervous, which is more power to Cody.
- Tick-throw setups in this situation are very helpful, as it is unexpected of the Cody player to give up the knife for a throw attempt.
- Cr.lp., walk forward (slightly), cr.lp., walk forward (slightly), (repeat), is a good pressure string, dealing chip damage at the same time. If an uppercut is anticipated, block and punish accordingly.
- Throw in a jump every so often. Deep crossup into cr.hp., link into U2 is insane damage.
- Aggressive
Pressure Strings
- Cody's pressure strings, coupled with his high-damage combos, are what make him such a scary character. Some examples of his good block strings are:
- F+mp., cr.lp., F+mp... (repeat)
- F+mp., cr.lp., cr.lp., D+mk. (slide), cr.lp., F+mp...
- F+mp., cr.lp., cr.lp., cr.lk., F+hk (Crack Kick)*
- F+mp., F+mp., cr.lp., D+mk., cr.lp., F+hk.*
Combos
Bread and Butters
- j.HP, c.HP --> Fierce Criminal Upper
- j.MK, c.HP --> Roundhouse Ruffian Kick (FADCable, Can cancel into Dead End Irony)
- Crack Kick --> EX Criminal Upper
Hit Confirm Combos
- Cr.lp., cr.lp., cr.lk. --> Forward Ruffian Kick
- Cr.lp., cr.lp., cr.mp. --> Forward Ruffian Kick
- Cr.lp., cr.lp., cr.mp. --> EX-Ruffian Kick
- (Corner only, character specific, standing opponent)st.lp., st.lp. st.lp., cr.mp. --> Roundhouse Ruffian Kick, Forward Ruffian Kick
- Cr.lp., cr.lp., cr.lk. --> Fierce Criminal Upper
- Cr.lp., cr.lp., cr.mp. --> Fierce Criminal Upper
- Cr.lp., cr.lp., cr.mp. --> EX-Criminal Upper
- (Corner only)Cr.lp., cr.lp., cr.mp. --> Strong Criminal Upper, EX-Criminal Upper
- F+mp., cr.lp. --> Fierce Criminal Upper
- F+mp., cr.lp. --> Forward Ruffian Kick
- F+mp., st.lp., cr.lp., cr.lk. --> Forward Ruffian Kick
- F+mp., cr.lp., cr.mp. --> Short Ruffian Kick
- (Corner only)F+mp., cr.lp. --> Strong Criminal Upper, EX-Criminal Upper
Dizzy / Focus Crumple Combos
- Cr.hp. --> Fierce Criminal Upper
- St.hp., cr.mp. --> Fierce Criminal Upper
- F+mp., st.mp., cr.hp. --> Fierce Criminal Upper
- (Corner only)Nj.hp., st.hp., cr.mp. --> Roundhouse Ruffian Kick, Forward Ruffian Kick
- (Corner only)Nj.hp., F+mp., st.mp., cr.hp. --> Strong Criminal Upper, EX-Criminal Upper
- (Corner only)Cr.hp. -->Strong Criminal Upper, EX-Criminal Upper
Advanced Combos
- 50% Meter Combos
- (Standing opponent)F+mp., cr.mp. --> Roundhouse Ruffian Kick FADC Forward Ruffian Kick
- (Standing opponent)Cr.lp., cr.lp., cr.mp. --> Roundhouse Ruffian Kick FADC Forward Ruffian Kick
- j.HP., Stomach Blow, s.MP., c.HP., --> Roundhouse Ruffian Kick FADC Forward Ruffian Kick
Combos Into Supers
- (On Standing Opponents) Any combo ending in Roundhouse Ruffian Kick can be canceled into Dead End Irony.
Combos Into Ultras
- (On Standing Opponents) A combo ending in Roundhouse Ruffian Kick can be FADCed into Final Destruction
- The first hit of EX Zonk Knuckle can be FADCed into Final Destruction
- Bad stone L --> Last Dread Dust
Matchups
- Vs. Abel
To Be Written (TBW)
- Vs. Adon
TBW
- Vs. Akuma
Akuma Battles are probably one of the scariest fights you'll ever have with Cody. The name of the game is to avoid getting knocked down, because that one hard knock down is all Akuma needs to put you down and apply the pressure. Without any really good wake up options, Cody is at the disadvantage only if you hit the ground at any point. As for Fighting Akuma, you need to not let him use retreating combat measures such as the Air Gohado and get away with it. Using Focus Armor to blast through it helps here as it sees to it that Akuma doesn't get too far away, then put on as much pressure as possible with frame traps and moves that leave you at an advantage on block. Trust me, Akuma should never have a chance to strike you, or else he'll hit hard. Luckily, Akuma has poor Vitality, so a couple good combos should score a stun. Make sure you finish him off, as a cornered Akuma is a deadly Akuma.
Let's Recap
- Don't fall! Hitting the ground even once means Akuma has the advantage over you. Don't let that happen at all costs!
- Put on the Pressure! Akuma will work MERCILESSLY towards taking you out, but if you keep him from striking, he'll soon start to back down.
- Don't let him escape! Akuma is the master of keeping players away only to set them up for lethal combos. Whatever you do, don't let him get screen's distance away, or else the fight will start all over again.
- Vs. Balrog
Now this is a Fight where Cody's the king of everything so long as your Zonk Knuckle is ready to go. Everything he does is pointless because Cody can stuff it with a fully charged Zonk. All of Balrog's rushing attacks and even his head butt have nothing on Cody. Just watch out for Low Rush, since it occasionally will trade with you. Otherwise, keep up your defenses, and combo when able. Eventually Balrog will get defensive, and that's when you switch into being combo heavy yourself. Don't be afraid to whoop his ass up and down the block and threaten to Zonk him every chance you get.
Let's Recap
- Don't be afraid of Balrog's specials! Zonk Knuckles beats everything, except for Ultra 2. But most Balrog's don't use that one.
- Combo Combo Combo! If you catch Balrog in any kind of combo, great, just apply pressure and make him scared of your Zonk knuckle.
- Pressure him! Balrog is gonna get all kinds of testy and over reactive once you put on enough pressure. If he makes mistakes, Cody's got him taken care of.
- Vs. Blanka
TBW
- Vs. C. Viper
TBW
- Vs. Cammy
TBW
- Vs. Chun Li
TBW
- Vs. Cody
Whoever has the better frame traps wins in this matchup. Try not to get caught in your own combos, eh?
- Vs. Dan
TBW
- Vs. Dee Jay
TBW
- Vs. Dhalsim
TBW
- Vs. Dudley
TBW
- Vs. E. Honda
TBW
- Vs. El Fuerte
TBW
- Vs. Fei Long
TBW
- Vs. Gen
TBW
- Vs. Gouken
TBW
- Vs. Guile
TBW
- Vs. Guy
Despite both being from the same origin of game, Guy and Cody are not evenly played. Cody has the advantage as all of Guy's moves that get him in quickly can be knocked out of the air with Jaw Breaker or Roundhouse Ruffian Kick. Though RH.RK is a better choice due to its ability to move you forward, and isn't susceptible to demon flips. Once Guy is in your zone, however, you can trap him with many of Cody's moves such as Stomach Blow or c.MP, since Guy's range of strike isn't as far as Cody's, you'll beat him out in a slobber knocker. Punishing the slide that Guy has also makes for easy combos, and effectively keeps guy out. Baiting the EX Bushinryu-Kyaku is easy, since it's the only wake up option that Guy has that is effective.
Let's Recap
- Knock Him Outta the sky! Guy can't get in if Cody is smashing him with Roundhouse Ruffian Kick or Jaw Breaker, so be sure to time it right, and try not to fall for Guy dropping out of the air early in order to get the jump on you.
- Punch his lights out! Stomach Blow and c.MP Do a great amount of damage individually, as well as set you up for combos, and leave you at an advantage frame wise. Don't be afraid to forgo kicks for a good old fashioned knock out.
- Bait the EX Bushinryukyaku! This is one of Guy's only good wake up options, forcing him to waste meter in order to use it not only demoralizes him, but gives you a good chance at punishing him!
- Vs. Hakan
TBW
- Vs. Ibuki
TBW
- Vs. Juri
TBW
- Vs. Ken
TBW
- Vs. M. Bison
TBW
- Vs. Makoto
TBW
- Vs. Rose
TBW
- Vs. Rufus
TBW
- Vs. Ryu
TBW
- Vs. Sagat
TBW
- Vs. Sakura
TBW
- Vs. Seth
TBW
- Vs. T. Hawk
Thunder Hawk has the disadvantage all throughout this entire fight. Thunder Dive can't stand up to Cody's Anti-Air Jaw Breaker, nor can it compare to Roundhouse Ruffian Kick. Thunder Spire can't get in so long as your Zonk is always ready, and staying just outside of the normals zone for Thunder Hawk makes it so you can punish with any kind of long poke or Ruffian Kick. Sometimes even Criminal Upper is an option. Much like any Command Grab using character, baiting the grab equals easy damage, so make sure you watch for it and bait it accordingly. Tomahawk has to be watched since its T. Hawk's favorite wake up option, but blocking it and baiting it make it so easy to punish that you'll be doing combos for days.
Let's Recap.
- Fight at a distance! Thunder Hawk has a hard time getting in, and Bad Stone is pretty good at keeping him out.
- Punish Air Attacks! All it takes is one good Thunder Dive for Thunder Hawk to close in on you and ruin your game. Keep him out with Ruffian Kicks and Jaw Breaker.
- Bait Tomahawks and Command Grabs! These things can ruin you by scoring easy knock downs for T.Hawk, make sure to bait and punish accordingly, and see to it that Thunder Hawk thinks twice before trying to get the jump on you. Opening him up this way nets you free damage in combos, and is an effective way to score a stun.
- Vs. Vega
TBW
- Vs. Zangief
Zangief's game is to get you in a position where he can use the Atomic Buster, Cody's main focus should be on keeping Zangief out, baiting the command throw with Neutral jumps, and punishing any and all mistakes made.
Combat with Zangief will usually flow like this; Cody will start by backing up and throwing rocks, in which Zangief will lariet the first few, before attempting to jump in, or use his Green hand to shoot forward. Accordingly, Cody should have a stocked up Zonk Knuckle available in order to punish the Green Hand attack, or if he jumps, to use Round House ruffian kick to knock Zangief back. From here, you can bait a Wake Up Lariat by throwing out a few standing light punches, before ducking down and using cody's Medium Kick while down. This will slide under Zangief's lariat every time. From a distance, one can also use EX Ruffian Kick to slide clean under him. This is likely to trade, but when it doesn't, the damage is worth it. Plus, it scores another Knock Down on Zangief. Cody has the advantage, so long as Zangief doesn't score the knock down.
Let's recap
- Fight from a distance! Use Bad Stones to get Zangief in the air or throwing out green hands!
- Punish EVERYTHING! Green Hands doesn't have the Advantage over Zonk Knuckle, And EX Zonk is a good way to set up an FADC Ultra 1 Punish!
- Avoid Meaty Combos! Anything that has a possibility to fail, WILL. That Lariet is too strong for regular moves. Stick to sliding under him when it seems unavoidable, or better yet, when it seems like it's easily punishable.
- Bait The Command Throw! If Zangief screws up that grab, then it's free damage all day long. Take Advantage of it with some of the Bread and Butter Combos!