Balrog (Boxer)

Description:
Stamina: 1,050
Stun: 1,000
Fighting Style: Dirty Boxing
Fighter Type: Brawler
Strengths: High stamina, good normals and specials, fast speed
Weaknesses: Weak to cross-ups, no FADC from reversal

Character Videos:
Video #1: Balrog vs Abel (Raincrz vs BIGDANMUL)

Offense Strategy:
Remain patient, watch out for dash punches and look for gaps in his positioning. Focus attacks are good way to bait and punish dash punches but use it sparingly as he can switch up to using his smash punch which armor breaks. Abel will lose the outright poke game with Balrog so you'll need a bit of footsies skill and baiting to win the ground match. Go for the knockdown, even a normal throw or a sweep will do. Balrog’s defenses on wake-up are weaker as he can't rely on canceling a blocked Buffalo Head. He's also weak against cross-ups as his Buffalo Head will whiff on a well timed cross-up. Balrog can also use EX Dash Punches as a sort of reversal. His only real option is to block the cross-up which can give you opportunities for block strings and throw mix-ups.

Defense Strategy:
Balrog dominates the match from the onset with his excellent poke game and fast speed. Since he has no normal overhead, a possible defensive strategy is to constantly block low when guarding which guards against almost all his attacks. The only attacks you have to look out for are throws and his Dash Swing Blow, which is an overhead attack. It takes about half a second to come out but if you're looking for it, that is more than enough time to guard against it. Guard up and look for the opportunities to knockdown and gain momentum in your favor.

Notes:
- You can focus most of his specials except for Dash Low Smash and Turn Around Punch. Both of these however have a slow start-up time. Baiting these moves with focus attacks from time to time will open some opportunities for you to counter with Soulless.
- Balrog has a trick with his Dash Upper which will whiff on crouching characters. The recovery is very fast which opens opportunities for him to jab or grab you after it whiffs.
- Balrog's only overhead is his Dash Swing Blow. This typically comes out after a block string on opponents who block low often. Also punishable on block.
- Credited to Bustabust: You can stuff non-EX Buffalo Head with Abel's standing HK. This can be followed up with a Forward Kick if it was a counter hit.
- Some Balrog players like to do EX Dash Upper on wake-up to escape from knockdown mix-ups.
- Balrog can block wake-up EX Change of Direction as it seems to put him close to the ground after his jumping attack. He can just jab you out of armor with his a follow up light hit.