UFC 5 boasts a special playable Mike Tyson character in heavyweight as a pre-order bonus. The promise of this character in the new UFC game releasing October 27 put me in the mood to revisit EA Sports Fight Night Champion and use the Mike Tyson character present in that game.
Unsurprisingly, everyone also really likes to use Mike Tyson. So much so, every other fight in Heavyweight online quick match will be against Mike Tysons of various skill levels. After a few dozen of them sleep you, it would be smart to study the general tendencies of Tyson players to form a counter gameplan. This guide will focus on how to effectively disarm the pressure-heavy slugging style of most people who like using Iron Mike online. There is only one ground rule to lay before moving forward, Mike Tyson is only OP when I’m not using him.
Being able to kick and wrestle Iron Mike will make fighting him super easy in UFC 5. But in Fight Night Champion, the player’s only choice is to box him. This makes Tyson the menace we all know him as from his prime in the 80’s.
Keep a Jab on Tyson
The most fundamental strike in boxing is the stone that is the best to use for killing Goliath. Jab to enter range, jab when Tyson enters range, jab to exit range, jab while Tyson exits range. Overlying on this tool will set up counter opportunities for skilled players to capitalize on. But if a slip straight or inside slip uppercut isn’t in your opponent’s bag of tricks, the jab will land all day. The right bumper on the Xbox controller is the modifier for power punches and helps the jab score more effectively.
Fear not the man who trains 10,000 punches, fear the man who trains 1 punch 10,000 times.
Kite Tyson around the ring like a Dark Souls boss while dropping jabs on him, then use these volume punches to set up straight punches from a distance or to close in and start ripping hooks and uppercuts inside.
2-3 Punch Combos
There’s a certain level of respect Mike Tyson must be shown in the game so the fight doesn’t end quickly. Even if your opponent is really bad at the game, it is unwise to stand in front of Mike Tyson with your hands at your chest. Equally dumb is it to try and use your character like he is Mike Tyson by stringing together 32-punch combos.
Your opponent having access to Mike Tyson’s alternate kit with purple gloves and shorts is your signed death warrant. Colors that bright shouldn’t be so threatening.
Fundamentals are what will bring success in these fights. Jab, Straight, Lead Hook. Straight, Lead Uppercut, Straight. Straight, Jab, Rear Hook. These combos are no more than 3 punches but each is field-tested and proven to work. Standing in front of Mike Tyson throwing meaningless barrages of punches will tire out your stamina bar and make it so that his first power hook to the body will floor you.
Use Dash Feature
Flicking the left stick toward your opponent makes you close distance while doing head movement. Straights and hooks literally will not land in this animation. This is a way to get into punching range with full health and stamina. Right Bumper + Lead Hook after making that lunging movement is how to perform a gazelle hook in the game. Lateral movement works the same way with the dash and roll animation. Flick the left stick away from the opponent to quickly exit range. This fleeing dash is the most useful tool for resetting against Mike Tyson.
Exploit Tyson’s Head Movement With Body Shots
Chances are that your adversary is all in on his Mike Tyson fanaticism and elects to use the character in the game exactly how he fights in real life. By using swaying head movement to enter punching range and deploying vicious chains of punches once on the inside. If your opponent chooses to play like this, the fight can actually prove to be easy to win. When Tyson is leaning off the center line to avoid damage to the head, the body is wide open. This is the time to send the jabs and 3 punch combos downstairs. It may be better to utilize single off-rhythm power shots to the body in broken intervals instead of grouping body shots. This is to not get hit with an uppercut. This is a complete tutorial on inside fighting by nang2942 on Youtube
Don’t Get Greedy After Knockdowns
If you start putting it together and schooling the guy you’re playing against, you may achieve a rocked event or even a knockdown. This will be proof that your game plan is working. And this confidence may make you a bit more relaxed. This smugness is especially bad in a fight that’s razor-close. Dropping someone in this game is unlike UFC 4. Knockdowns in Fight Night make people sit up in their chairs and focus up to try and get their knockdown back and put you away.
Every person who plays this game knows it is time to lock in when you see this screen.
This is a dangerous set of circumstances when the guy you’re fighting with has a high 90 rating in most categories. After knockdowns, don’t get in really close to finish, especially if that swaying head movement returns. Stay on your bike with the lunging movement, and stick to the bread and butter jabs and 3 punch combinations while mixing to the body. Stay disciplined and victory will be yours.
Clinch Tyson
Say an error was made defensively or a nice setup lands for Tyson and it chunks your health bar. Knowing how to and when to clinch is essential. Initiate a clinch by pressing both bumpers. This action will simply stall the fight so that your stamina and health can recover while Tyson is unable to continue to punish you. Sure it’s hugging, but mate, he’s using Mike Tyson.
You don’t get cool points for this. But you also don’t get cool points for letting Mike Tyson punch you into the cosmic wind.
A mistake players often make with this mechanic is trying to employ it once it is too late. If Tyson destroys half of your health bar in less than a 10-second period, immediately start clinching to recover. Don’t wait for him to give you more damage before attempting to wrap him up. Playing the long game will help reduce damage and help you make reads by giving yourself additional time to think. Clinching can save your life in a fight against Mike Tyson.
Use Good Fighters
Understandably, you may like fighters like Davis Haye, or Lennox Lewis. But they are going to get sparked up by Mike Tyson. You may also have to if your adversary is bringing out the big guns. Good picks for fights against Mike Tyson are Kobe Nichols, Evander Holyfield, and Muhammad Ali. George Foreman and Reggie Stewart are also not bad picks.
