vs Akuma

Statistics:
Stamina: 850
Stun: 850
Fighting Style: Ansatsuken Karate (Satsui no Hado)
Fighter Type: Versatile

vs Akuma: 4 - 6
Pros: Very low stamina
Cons: Fast speed, high damage combos, avoids mix-ups with teleport, great mix-ups, good pokes

Movelist:
st.HK - Akuma’s best poke. Comes out very fast, not focusable as it hits twice.
fwd.MP - Overhead and used for kara Super.

Shoryuken – Reversal. HP hits 3 times and can be FADC-ed out of any of the hits.
Gouhadoken – BnB and zoning tool.
Shakunetsu Hadoken – Used for FADC combos and wake-up chip damage.
Zankuu Hadoken – Air projectile for zoning and combo starters.
Tatsumaki Zankuukyaku – BnB, air version can cross-up.
Demon Flip – Mix-up tool into throw, armor break punch, frame+ kick or slide.
Ashura Senkuu – Evasion teleport. Cancels into U2.

Raging Demon (S) - Zero-frame throw, can catch people off-guard on wake-up.
Wrath of the Raging Demon (U1) – Moving throw ultra, can cancel from st.HK.
Demon Armageddon (U2) – Close-range kick ultra, can be canceled from Ashura Senkuu.

Preferred Ultra: Soulless
Tags Gouhadouken and Shakunetsu Hadouken full screen. Can also tag air fireballs if he does them jumping backwards.

Character Videos:
Video Study #4: Rick Suave (ABE) vs. Tokido (AKU)

Strategy:
Stay just outside st.HK’s 2nd hit range. This is much harder than it sounds given Akuma’s fast walk speed and it is unlikely that you’ll be able to outspace Akuma in footsies. Use rolls, jumps and st.LK to maintain the space. Ultimately your goal will be to catch him unawares to score a knockdown or to put him in block stun pressure.

Up close, Akuma plays just like Ryu, only faster and with better mix-ups (Demon Flip, faster movement speed). Watch out for SRK reversals while maintaing pressure on offense. Be aware that Akuma has an easy escape tool with Ashura teleport which he can utilize as a safer measure than SRK on pressure or wake-up games. This takes experience but if you feel that the Akuma is pressured to use teleport to escape, try and anticipate it and punish.

Notes:
- St.LK pokes are effective tools to stuff st.HK.
- Akuma's 2nd hit of the st.HK does not whiff on a crouching Abel, giving him no room to maneuver on the ground.
- Akuma can cancel into Ultra 1 from his cr.MK (that's wack) and can also use a mean option select with Demon Flip to land the Ultra if Abel back dashes or rolls.
- Akuma's Super comes out much faster than his Ultra. Kara Super with fwd.MP is comes out really fast and can't be avoided on reaction. - You can LK roll under air fireballs and use ultra 1 to punish.
- You can use Soulless and Breathless to tag teleport recovery and Soulless to tag air fireball recovery at a certain range.