This isn’t a perfect fight, as I made a few mistakes in terms of spacing, but all in all, this does show you my approach when using Sadira against Hisako.
1 Like
Thanks for the video @WebNRaGnArOk. It’s good at illustrating how Sadie wants the match to go.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but this is what happens to Hisako when she doesn’t know the MU. You never want to allow Sadira to jump and toss widow’s bites at will. All those jumps into widow’s bites, lights very much included, should be eliciting reaction jump+HP’s and air ORZ’s. Hitting or missing isn’t what matters here - what matters is controlling the horizontal air space in front of Sadira and guaranteeing that she’s not going to be allowed to get in for free. If Sadira is jumping, the Hisako player should be jumping as well, with long buttons out in front of her to keep Sadira honest.
It’s also a good example of missing opportunities once Sadira has been grounded. It’s important to meaty every character on their wakeup, but it’s especially important to do so to Sadira, particularly one who’s shown that they want to jump on wakeup to escape command grab pressure. The Hisako also didn’t pop instinct until the fight was basically lost, and then just to make a shadow safe - at the very least, you should use it defensively after a blocked kunai to see what the Sadira is coming down with. If she’s coming with a button, counter. If she’s coming down empty, trip guard button or command grab her.
It’s been said a few times in this thread, but the key to controlling this fight as Hisako is controlling the neutral. That simply cannot happen if Sadira is allowed to jump to her heart’s content. Doesn’t matter if you’re draining your wrath on whiffed air normals - stick them out there whenever you see Sadira jumping. Make her pay a price for trying to get her air offense started.
1 Like
Very true. Generally when I’m facing a Hisako that knows how to control the air space, I generally start doing feint attacks. For me, its all about mind games. I readily admit, this Hisako, even though they were decent, was definitely not the best out there. I master Hiskao player is always a challenge.
1 Like
For all of you following these Match-Up threads, fear not. I was sick for a few days and didn’t feel like doing anything… and then I was playing the SFV Beta. But I’m back!
TJ Combo is coming next.
After playing some Sadira/Hisako matches against @Marbledecker (gg’s again sir!) I think I have a few more things to add about this fight.
The biggest thing I think might be the importance of strong oki on Sadira’s wakeup. I think using possession (or showing a willingness to use possession) is actually very, very important in this fight. Sadira’s backdash is actually one of her better options against Hisako once knocked down, as this will beat meaty normals, meaty air ORZ (assuming inputs don’t get crossed up), and influence. Hisako’s option for catching the backdash are basically possession and grounded ORZ, which is super unsafe in the event that Sadira wakes up blocking.
While it’s important to keep Sadira from jumping on her wakeup (which is why we meaty her relentlessly), it’s also important to establish that she’s not allowed to backdash on wakeup either. It’s actually ok to to get caught on her jumping out of knockdown once or twice on this because the next time you can simply punish that with a meaty into full combo. You have to establish that possession is a viable threat, and add that to your suite of things with which to harass her on wakeup. As with all things Hisako, the goal is to control the opponent’s actions such that they play into your own offense. Recognizing standard escape tendencies quickly is key, and then using those tendencies against the opponent. Condition them to jump (and not backdash) through possession, and then punish that option accordingly (meaty or TK air-ORZ).
Also, throw techs must be on point in this fight. Sadira will likely use a metric ton of them if you show yourself to be looking for counter opportunities. In particular, be on the lookout any time Sadira comes in empty off kunai. While empty jump->low is a possibility, empty jump->throw is also a very strong possibility. Which is which will often come down to player preference or habit, so again, it is very important to be able to quickly recognize tendencies and react accordingly.
1 Like
So @Marbledecker, who’s next in this series? TJ Combo?
Hope you had a great Thanksgiving holiday, by the way 
1 Like
Yeah. TJ Combo is Next.
Hey Marbledecker! I Fought a Wild TJ Combo the other day! Those species are so rare! Anyways, he showed me somethings I could talk about in the thread.
I’ll give you some teasers:
-Plink
-Armor
-Faints
-Baits
-Roll
1 Like
TJ Combo indeed! I’ll definitely be able to find more time for this series in the next few weeks now that my root canal saga is 1/2 over. Definitely down to lobby up and discuss/play the MU.
Sure, Definitely. I’ll practice a bit with TJ, but all my time may be taken up taking Shadow Jago to the lab, Lol. Let me know when, and I’ll try to help!
1 Like
Man, I am REALLY glad now that I waited to make that TJ Combo MU thread. S3 has certainly put a wrinkle or two in the MU.
I will be posting a video to this thread soon showing that the core concepts of the MU as discussed above are still quite applicable in S3! 
1 Like
Still up for those TJ vs Sako matches if you are!
1 Like
You have no idea how much I wish these forums had a SwiftRage emote. In lieu of that…
LET’S GO!!! 
1 Like
Man with Sadiras new stuff, she is even more of a pain in the ■■■ to fight, with that head stomp and such.
I swear a lot of Sadiras on ranked like to tea bag me when they got me in constant mix ups and hitting me with her ridiculously safe normals.
Bouncing down some video of some week 1 fights I had VS. Sadira.
My laptop is butt-cheeks though, so it’s taking FOREVER to render.
1 Like
Sorry, this is a bit late - but here we go!
Same stuff above still applies. You can see me doing well when I stick to it, and doing poorly when I temporarily forget it.
Random bump to this thread so I don’t have to find it again. Have a suite of Sadira matches that I want to post in the next couple of days.
EDIT: except that I don’t. I’ve apparently played so many games that the replays are lost… 
1 Like
lot of sadies like to wake up > jump. stuff that out!
jumping FP also good but we all know that. gave even a top 32 player alot of grief with that with well timed strikes and being patient. you also know the grab mix up is coming, so teching the throw is also needed against the advanced level sadira players. tragic i dont play my former main anymore, the phantom and the robot just have me enthralled lol :\
Lol at there being another Sadira refugee who went to Hisako. This character is just too much fun 
And yes on your other point as well. I always meaty a Sadira at least twice on her wakeup before I attempt to do anything else on oki. Have to train them to stop jumping out of pressure.
i love sadira, dont get me wrong, but ive been far too busy leveling up hisako and fulgore that shes been neglected lol. ill use her seldomly though, but man i cant even throw kunais in the air anymore without screwing up and it gets me killed lol.