Standing Medium Punch

Recommended counters

Mid-screen

• After blocking (mid-screen)
  • Unless Sagat follows with Drive Rush into MP, walking back is a low-risk way to end his pressure.

• After blocking (corner)
  • Mashing a 4F button after blocking MP will trade, setting up a combo for Sagat.

• After blocking — characters with a 4F standing normal
  • Mashing a standing normal immediately after blocking point-blank MP creates distance where Sagat cannot link into 2MP on trade.
  • If it wasn't a meaty hit, your best bet is to mash 4F MP.

• After blocking — characters without a 4F standing normal
  • Read between Just Parry and waiting it out.

• Sagat's walk speed is slow, and no matter what he does, he needs at least 6+ frames of walking to reach throw range — so pressing a button on the fuzzy timing when you'd block 6MP is a solid option.

• Fuzzy light punching the reversal attempt is an option, but if Sagat walks and throws well or delays the MP it will counter-hit very frequently, so pressing MP immediately on MP-block to fish for a counter-trade return is also worth considering.
  • The key is to make his walk throw carry risk — once you show it, bait the next Just Parry attempt.

• MP → MP
  • Ideally Sagat should hit-confirm before continuing, but MP is so strong that many Sagats auto-pilot MP → MP.
  • Against that habit, forward jump is a great answer — it also beats MP → throw.
  • The second MP has no combo on normal hit, so even an immediate jump is worth considering.

• MP → MP → 2MP
  • Holding forward-jump while blocking the second MP is very effective.
    • You can collect a reward against anything Sagat cancels the 2MP into.
      • Zangief and Lily can't use this — their jump transition is too slow.

Advanced

A fuzzy forward jump collects the best parts of all the answers above: on the second MP of MP → MP → 2MP, fuzzy forward-jump beats MP → throw, and if you end up blocking, jump immediately after guarding the 2MP. It's very busy, but worth the effort: