Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3/Kano

Overview Combos Matchups Strategy

Introduction

Leader of the criminal organization known as the Black Dragon, Kano finds opportunity in any conflict. In the case of Shao Kahn's invasion of Earthrealm, that comes in the form of a high position in the Emperor's army providing training with Earthrealm weapons for the extermination squads.

Strong rushdown, a good knockdown tool with air throw and a plethora of options after scoring a knockdown make Kano a dangerous foe when having to wake up. Getting accustomed to the input for the Kano Ball can take some getting used to especially during combos but the damage does pay off making him a high tier character overall.

Biography

Kano was thought to have been killed in the first tournament. Instead, he is found alive in the Outworld where he again escapes capture by Sonya. Before the actual Outworld invasion, Kano convinces Kahn to spare his soul. Kahn needs someone to teach his warriors how to use Earth's weapons... Kano is the man to do it.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Near Universal Relaunch: Kano relaunches Female Ninjas, Stryker and Sindel with Glitch Cancel. He can relaunch every other character no matter what.
Safe Sweep: Kano's sweep is completely safe on block. Kano can counter glitch jabs easily using sweep. Opponents will often become frustrated by Kano's sweep and attempt to approach by air. Kano can air throw in this situation.
Glitch Jab Launcher: Kano has two launchers (HPHPdLPHP, HPHPLP) that begin with HP, so they can be glitch jab option selected.
LK, HK, Sweep Punish: Kano punishes LK, HK and Sweep with Knife Uppercut and Up Ball. This is especially useful when combined with his glitch jab launchers. Choke can be used as a punish at close ranges. Kano's Cannon Ball is fast enough to punish LKs, HKs and Sweeps, but it is unfortunately disabled in this instance.
Air Throw: Air throws are generally great. Kano's air throw is extremely good in combination with his safe sweep.
Animation Freeze Punishes: Kano can perform animation freeze punishes on blocked Uppercuts and corner attacks with pushback using Cannon Ball.

High Execution: Optimal Kano play requires learning relaunch timings for every character. Kano also requires holding down LK constantly to charge the Cannon Ball. Kano's character specific corner Choke infinite is also difficult to time.
Tall Running Hurtbox: Kano cannot run under instant air projectiles like Kabal's instant air Gas Blast or Mileena's instant air Sai.

Notable Players

ded (Bulgaria)
ddy (USA)

Kano

Character Data

Differences from MK3

Vertical cannonball added

Move List

Basic Moves

His jump kick is nice and pointy, leaving little room to be countered by simple moves, his uppercut has good distance but sucks if someone jumps to land in close or tries to cross up so you're better off going with the air throw. His sweep is super quick, his standing HK is great anti air when you need it fast. His jabs have little range, his ducking LK is awkward and clunky but gets the job done. His jump punch is very round and ball like, easy to counter since the collision box is so close to his own. His knee lift is more like a close range low kick, almost as useful as Nightwolf's obvious stomp. The roundhouse hits pretty high and has average range.

Kombo Strings

HK, LP (15%)
HK, D + LP, D + HP (19%)
HK, HK, LK, B + HK (23%)
HP, HP, B + LP (18%)
HP, HP, D + LP, D + HP (22%)
HP, HP, HK, LK, B + HK (26%)

Special Moves

Air Throw

Block (in-air near opponent)
9.5% Damage

Manhandle

D, F, LP
18.5% Damage

The manhandle is really only useful in combos, it has almost no purpose other than a risky wake up mid game, it's rare you see it connect and it leaves you wide open. I love players who abuse it against scrubs because they don't know what to do when the manhandle is ineffective. If you do get the mandhandle miscreen, it is possible to juggle a LK, or cannonball off it.

Vertical Cannonball

F, D, F, HK
14.5% Damage

Use the vertical ball to land directly ontop of turtling opponents by surprise sometimes, because as soon as touch the ground you can throw, beating out any attack they try if they aren't holding back, and often times when you land on someone and they don't try anything they aren't holding the proper direction to prevent throwing anymore and it's almost a free throw. Don't over abuse this tactic because it doesn't take long to start scouting it and positioning for easy counters. It is a similar concept to Sonya's bike kick however she doesn't go into a real punishment mode off it. The vertical ball is also a good method of escape from run jabs, and is an ideal anti air move obviously, as almost nothing can stop it except air throws.

Cannonball

Charge, Release LK (Can be done while blocking)
14.5% Damage
The regular Cannonball is a fast moving attack that you should use in close range as a wake up, or to counter virtually any standing attack within close range as well. You can also use it as transportation against turtles and zoners, it gets you right on top of them and sets up the chance for a wake up pop up combo as long as you stay out of blockable range. You can also use it to extend combos as well.

Knife Uppercut

D, F, HP
15.5% Damage
The Knife Uppercut is a low hitting attack with some decent range. You can use it in juggles, as a wake up on ducking opponents, or sometimes as an anti air if you are too far away for a HK, or roundhouse. Kano's recovery vs the opponent's when it is blocked is very close to being the same, but Kano generally ends up vulnerable afterwards.

Knife Throw

D, B, HP
11% Damage
The Knife throw is a standard, no frills projectile, except it has quite a bit of start up animation before it becomes an actual object so it's easy to avoid. It's a bit higher than others, like Sheeva's fireball, making it easier to duck, but it is a bit better at hitting opponents when they jump back. You should probably not use it in juggle combos, as there are better options than it in all situations.

Finisher Moves

Fatality 1

Hold LP, F, D, D, F, Release LP (Next to)
Kano pulls his opponent's skeleton out of their body through his/her mouth. The body then stands there for a minute with a huge mouth opening, then falls to the ground like a rag doll.

Fatality 2

LP, BL, BL, HK (Sweep Distance)
Kano shoots his victim with a laser from his eye until he/she gets red hot and explodes.

Friendship

LK, RUN, RUN, HK (No Block in Winning Round) (Past Sweep)
Kano chews some gum, blows a bubble which then bursts in his face.

Animality

Hold HP, BL, BL, BL, Release HP (Mercy First) (Next to)
Kano changes into a big Bright yellow spider. Then the spider wraps it's arms around it's victim squeezing the life and blood out of them.

Babality

F, F, D, D, LK (No Block in Winning Round) (Past Sweep)

Mercy

Hold RUN, Wait 1 Second, D, D, Release RUN (Round 3) (Past Sweep)

Stage Fatal

U, U, B, LK (Next to) (Hold Block)

The Basics

Strategy

As Kano

He is the best sweeper due to his options. You have the knife uppercut which hits ducking opponents, very useful, the regular cannon ball which is instantaneous, and the vertical ball is equally as useful, off a sweep. Air throw is very good, but low damage, he can link his close range HK easily off a sweep as a wake up, so can Jax and Sonya, but Kano can get it on more and results in about the same damage mid screen for all three if they do.

Sweep when safe, look for cross up jump kicks, if they do, jump straight up and air throw em back down, go right back into sweeps, run and knee jabs are good, don't do too crazy on them they are easy to counter.

When rushing down, never go for any combo except HK, D LP, D HP, if you connect it, do walk in, aaHP, JK, air throw, it's 3% less than if you did it with HP, HP, D LP, D HP, and when rushing in, the HP whiffs, so it's worthless. If you connect a jumping HP, do the 4 hit pop up, aaHP, JK, air throw, for 48%.

He has two infinites in the corner that work on some characters, you can mix it into his corner combos off launchers. You can simply repeat the mandhandle over and over, which requires insane timing, and also, aaLP manhandle works as well, but increasingly difficult as the LP tends to still get some push back, making it harder to complete.

Kano can relaunch every character in the game, something like Ermac and Human Smoke. This is done by performing a launcher combo, jumping along with the opponent as they are flying, and as you are about to land, connect a linked HP, which is unblockable if they are close enough to the ground but are still considered in air, and then the autocombo is free. It is useful against certain characters, as some are easier to relaunch than others. Difficult/pointless relaunch attempts are Stryker, Sindel, Female Ninjas, and Male Ninjas. Everyone else is pretty easily relaunched by Kano.

Sometimes you can use the regular ball as transportation against turtles and zoners, it gets you right on top of them and sets up the chance for a wake up pop up combo.

Always remember, sweep, sweep, sweep.

VS Kano

Combos

Basic Juggles:
1. JP, HP, HP, D LP, D HP, aaHP, JK, air throw 7 hits 47%
2. JP, HP, HP, D LP, D HP, aaHP, knife throw 7 hits 40% (Knife uppercut 42%, mandhandle, 45%)

Advanced Juggles:
1. JP, HP, HP, D LP, D HP, deep JK with LK and charge LK, mandhandle, release for cannonball, 8 hits 57%(can be done midscreen on some characters)
2. (In corner especially against teleporters) aaHP, JK, aaHP, mandhandle, cannonball, 5 hits about 63%
3. JP, HP, HP, D LP, D HP, aaHP, JK, cannon ball 8 hits 50%
4. aaHP,HP, JK, cannonball 4 hits 43% (BP)
5. (in corner) JP, HP, HP, D LP, D HP, JK, HP, mandhandle, cannon ball 9 hits 60%
6. (as close to corner as possible without being pushed back) JP, HP, HP, D LP, D HP, JK, RH, manhandle, cannon ball 9 hits 66%