“Killer Instinct had this kind of unique system where you would piano down the buttons,” Rettig said. “You had to piano down in order to continue the combo, but you could continue it. You were kind of locked into a combo state. We have that, with big combos, but we also have combo breakers. You don’t want to be stuck there in a combo and not be able to fight back. We wanted there to be a two-way interaction within the combo.” Someone can interrupt a combo, and then the interrupted player can defend themselves. “We wanted it to be like a game. 'What’s his next move going to be?' I have to guess what your next move is going to be so I can make a break. If I guess wrong, you can continue the combo for free.”

If memory serves me, the original game had combo breakers too. you weren't "Locked in".... C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER is a known thing...