GGST/Axl Low/Matchups

Sol Badguy (Average)

Vortex is pretty easy to deal with

When Sol uses Heavy Mob Cemetary, your only recourse is to jump, but there is also a possibility that Sol will PRC and try to air-grab or air-to-air you. You can be ready for this situation by hitting Sol while he is in his INFINITE armour Dragon Install state with j.H as you are over him. If they don't PRC, the j.H leaves you at a decent enough distance for Sol to not have a great follow-up. If they do, the moment you see the PRC, cancel that technically on-hit j.H into Axl Bomber and blow them away. Works like a charm. [Example of this in action at the very end of the round: Video] After blocking Bandit Revolver (236K), Sol can be reliably punished with either 5K > 2D (for hard knockdown) or 5K > 2D > 214H (sent fullscreen + slightly more damage). If Sol ends a blockstring with Bandit Revolver, he is often close enough to be thrown. After blocking Night Raid Vortex (214S), Sol is -17 & punishable by any of Axl's grounded normals except 5D/6H. A reliable example punish is 5K > 2D > 214H, but Sol is also left close enough for c.S > TKB > ... which leads to a variety of routes for better damage & corner carry. If a grounded Bandit Bringer (214K) is blocked & very close (such as during corner pressure), Sol typically lands close enough to be thrown. However, this is not true of a charged Aerial Bandit Bringer (j.214K) or if the grounded version hits meaty. Both versions of Volcanic Viper when blocked can be punished with a full counterhit c.S > TKB > ... for potentially huge damage & corner carry. Night Raid Vortex can be counterhit by 2H which grants a followup sickle flash ([4]6S). Though this is risky to attempt on reaction unless Sol starts vortex from fullscreen, as Sol is granted a large (200+ damage) combo from anywhere if vortex counterhits. The startup of Bandit Bringer can be counterhit by either 6K/2S for a reliable followup of 5P > [4]6S > (Soaring Chain Strike / Winter Cherry). Though this may be difficult to perform strictly on reaction.

Ky (Average)

If you can bait out his DP with a safejump setup, can punish with just as he's landing for a counterhit combo. 5[D] is also usable for huge meterless damage if you're midscreen. 5K is good at stuffing Foudre Arc and getting a conversion. 6P, on the other hand, tends to lose against it. Ky ending a combo into 214S followed into a 236H fireball is not a true oki situation, be sure to challenge Ky's approach while still being unpredictable.

May (Average)

Great Yamada Attack from far away can be punished with Winter Mantis on reaction. 5P can be used proactively in neutral to punish & discourage Dolphin pressure. 2H will counterhit dolphin, allowing for sickle flash followup, though this may be difficult to perform strictly on reaction at the range where Dolphin is most threatening. If May uses Arisugawa Sparkle from about mid/close-range, it is possible to counterhit 2H on reaction, allowing for a sickle flash ([4]6S) followup. The timing is tighter the farther away May is. After blocking S. Dolphin, f.S will beat most of May's grounded options & prevent her from immediately jumping, but will trade with May's 2P/5P & outright lose to May's 6P due to lowering her hurtbox. May is particularly difficult to anti-air, especially when she is directly above Axl, due to her fast & high jump arc, j.2H & j.D that allow her to alter her jump trajectory, and large hitboxes on j.S & j.H that cover a lot of space.

Chipp (Average)

Ground Alpha Blade will cross you up if Chipp is close enough, but it can be thrown. Senshuu, the overhead rekka followup, is not only unsafe for Chipp on block, but can be interrupted during the startup with 5K (https://twitter.com/nuttacon/status/1363179992977453063). Similarly, the Genrou zan command grab can be interrupted with 5K or air throw. Using backdash against it is a heavier risk/reward, but if timed correctly, will allow you to get a bigger punish. Backdash BRC can also give you a huge CH Bomber starter. If Chipp is trying to get directly on top of you for j.2K pressure, your best bet is to be on the move and get into a more favourable position. He moves slightly forwards during it, so this can be used to your advantage by running under it, then punishing Chipp. Backdashing to avoid it is possible. Faultless Defense also has uses against it.

Potemkin (Average)

Cycling between using normals, rensen and command grab to keep Potemkin out is key in this matchup. Potemkin has clear options to Axl's keepaway tools, but by nature still has to work to get in. Hammerfall will plow though single normals, but dies to Rensen. Flick can punish rensen from most ranges but can be hit on startup or commandthrown. General movement let's him block and react to Axl's keepout, but blocking normals pushes him back. j.s, j.h in neutral is a great option to check occasional hammerfalls. If the j.s get's armoured, j.h will come out and punish the hammerfall. example clip j.s > j.214H is a very important tool to threaten Potemkin away from doing Slide head at full screen, especially after he blocks your Rensen as you cannot sneak another one before getting knocked down. Video concept here. Keep your 2S and/or 6K antiairs ready as Potemkins may try to jump block against you. If 2S is blocked try to late gatling into 2H as they hit the ground to prevent rejumping and catch them not low-blocking as they land. Then cancel blocked 2S into late Mantis for a meaty grab on their landing. Video concept here Throw Hammerfall. If he breaks, he loses armor and you can punish. 2P > 6K can be thrown in-between. Watch for 2P into Mega Fist.

Faust (Average)
Some of his items can be used against him. The bomb can be hit and knocked back, the food can be eaten, and you can pick up his horn, summoning a crowd of small fausts for you. Faust's 41236K Thrust can be countered by 6P. His teleport is reactable and can be avoided by mashing/blocking on the correct side, or blocking and punishing the dive version (which hits same side).

Millia (Average)
Get good at airthrowing in the cases where she hovers over your head. If the Millia is going for an extended air approach, you can dash under to reposition yourself! Don't always be a sitting duck! j.K and j.P are excellent air-to-air buttons in the cases you want to try and contest her. Always maximize damage with meter when you can. You never know when you can get another hit in on her.

Zato-1 (Average)

Zato's dash easily get's hit by Axl's 5P except at tip range, so be sure to abuse that button against him. Visual Example Zato's hover can be reacted to easily with any of your anti-airs. Just be patient and press the right button accordingly. Rensen/2H can obliterate any fullscreen Eddie setup attempts. Two raw rensens/Rensen 2 can deal with fullscreen Oppose shenanigans. A lot of Zato's midrange buttons are beaten out by f.S, even in scramble situations.

Ramlethal (Average)

You can use 6P to low-profile her projectiles, as it removes your upper body hitbox. [Video] 2P and 2H will avoid Ramlethals high sword toss, making them good options to check her offense. It's also a riskier option after a blocked low sword toss, to shutdown her approach and cancel the explosion. Ramlethal doing otg 214H or super after throw in unsafe on hit, make sure to challenge them if they don't secure a kill. Be careful about throwing out rensen recklessly. Ram can punish with a sword toss, or even worse, can get a free IAD j.S counterhit (yes, even from fullscreen, and yes, even over rensen 8).

Leo (Average)
His crossup and command grab's startups can be thrown. Rensen and your ranged normals can poke Leo's recovery after he used his projectiles, destroying them.

Nagoriyuki (Average)

Play around blood gauge. When Nago has low blood, 236S, 236K nullifies rensen and let's Nago close the gap, but at higher blood he will have to respect rensen. Bursting early against Nago is a good idea, this will blow him back to neutral with blood, letting you abuse rensen more. Goes without saying that you shouldn't burst predictably. Instant FD the second hit of his f.S > S string to push him out of range of throw mixup. If you want to prevent chip damage, it's better to use it against 5H rather than f.S [Video]. Use Winter Mantis (41236H) to punish the Blood Rage transformation - it leaves them bleeding out on the ground for a massive chunk of their health and forces them to be mindful of their blood gauge at a distance. Try and not use Soaring Chain Strike after hitting rensen, since Nago has a hard time closing the gap to Axl, pulling him in might be doing Nago a favour. Nago is 0 on block after 214H, and with Axl's fastest normal being 6 frames he has a hard time challenging Nago's options. It's preffered to backdash instead of mashing if you predict a commandgrab after.

Giovanna (Average)
Giovanna's 236K special Trovão will avoid Axl's 5P and 2P on startup and active, and 2H when it's active. Be mindful of throwing out normals. Axl's 2K can lowprofile both of Giovanna's reset specials, Trovão (236K) and Sol Poente (214S) when timed accordingly. This allows Axl to punish with a normal starter or a throw.

Anji (Average)

Anji's 236K dodge can be thrown. If he ever manages to go through rensen, using the 2 followup will hit him out of his invulnerability frames. Each of Fuujin's followups can be countered. P projectile is + but is avoided by jumping. K dash can be mashed out of or jumped to avoid a throw. S low is a true blockstring but ends his pressure, being -7. H overhead can be blocked and punished (-15) or blocked in the air, but doing so will let him reset his pressure. You can cover all 3 non-low options with forward jump and block for low/no reward, cover overhead and dash with late throw or 5K mash, and remember to punish the -7 Low with 5K. Very in-depth analysis of countering all 4 options explained here.

I-No (Average)

STBT S can be blocked and punished (-7), but is a frametrap. STBT H can be mashed or thrown, but it's +2 on block. I-no's STBT can lowprofile most of your long range normals (yes including 2P) except 2H. Hitting her during the animation will net you a CH 2H starter. Her Antidepressant Scale (the note) can be used to force your movement. If she attempts to use it in the air, it's possible to time a Winter Mantis to punish her as she lands.

Goldlewis (Average)

Always try to be in range to toss out max range 5P's. Goldlewis's dash startup can't go under it. Beware Goldlewis trying to counterpoke your normals. Be sure to vary your normals. Be ready to jump on reaction to Skyfish and Rensen the startup of Thunderbird. Goldlewis can be a menace at roundstart range. By extension, try not to wallbreak against him unless it will kill. Raw Burn It Down (eye laser super) can be punished with Mantis, even at maximum security level. If you get touched without burst, the round is over.

Jack-O (Average)

Happy Chaos (Average)

Baiken (Average)

Testament (Average)