Fresh from Hollywood, Johnny Cage’s moveset prioritizes flashy style without fear of punching below the belt.

First Published August 23, 2023, 16:25

The fighting genre is synonymous with Mortal Kombat, with the game being one of the most popular arcade titles ever. The game has spawned 12 main games, with 2023’s Mortal Kombat 1 and its characters preparing for a fight in Liu Kang’s universe when the game launches on Sept. 14. 2023.

Johnny Cage is one of the premier fighters in the latest MK game, recreated in the image of Jean-Claude Van Damme with all his fighting prowess intact. Cage’s moves in Mortal Kombat 1 look to have some fan favorites while also introducing some new moves as well. Find the full moveset for Johnny Cage below.

Table of Contents

Full Johnny Cage move list in Mortal Kombat 1

While there are quite a few moves in the pre-order beta a month before launch, there may be more fatalities and special moves added as we get closer to release. Each set of Johnny Cage’s moves can be found below, broken down by category.

All of the inputs below refer to “forward” as being toward the enemy and “away” as the direction opposite of the enemy. Each specific punch and kick button can be found under the “Kontrols” section of the menu when paused.

Basic Attacks

These are the attacks that Cage will rely on most of the time, with a fair range that will keep enemy players guessing.

• Plot Fist: Front Punch
• Rough House: Front Punch, Front Punch
• Knuckle Under the Buckle: Front Punch, Front Punch, Back Punch
• Kontracted Kick: Front Punch, Front Punch, Back Kick, 
• Breaking Backhand: Forward + Front Punch
• Elbow’s World: Forward + Front Punch, Backpunch
• Under the Table: Forward + Front Punch, Back Punch, Front Kick
• Back to the Footure: Forward + Front Punch, Back Punch, Back Kick
• The Bee’s Knees: Down + Front Punch
• Talk to the Hand: Back Punch
• My Own Publifist: Back Punch, Front Punch
• Dunking on Haters: Back Punch, Front Punch, Back Punch
• Legbanged RedemptShin: Back Punch, Front Punch, Back Kick
• Foot Loosey Goosey: Back Punch, Front Punch, Back Kick, Back Kick
• GutBusters: Away + Back Punch
• Charge GutBuster: Hold Back Punch
• Rising Star: Down + Back Punch
• Reading Shoe: Front Kick
• Pow: Front Kick, Front Kick
• Footless: Away + Front Kick
• Dizzy Knee: Forward + Front Kick
• Elbow Before Me: Forward + Front Kick, Back Punch
• On the Chin: Forward + Front Kick, Back Punch, Front Punch
• Style Points: Forward + Front Kick, Front Punch
• Ankle Of the Covenant: Down + Front Kick
• John Kick: Back Kick
• Cagenado: Back Kick, Back Kick
• Sweep the Leg: Away + Back Kick
• Flipper: Forward + Back Kick
• Donkey Kick: Down + Back Kick

Aerial Attacks

• Sky Die: Up + Forward + Front Punch
• Private Jet: Up + Forward + Front Punch, Back Punch
• Air Blood: Up + Forward + Front Punch, Back Punch, Back Kick
• Face X: Up + Forward + Back Punch
• Air Goring: Up + Forward + Back Punch, Back Kick
• Star Wrecked: The Final Footier: Up + Forward + Back Punch, Back Kick, Back Kick,
• Toe Tap: Up + Forward + Front Kick or Up + Forward + Back Kick

Throws

• Shove: Forward + Throw or Forward + Front Punch + Front Kick
• Hands Off: Throw + Block or Front Punch + Front Kick + Block
• Wombo Kombo: Throw or Front Punch + Front Kick

Breakers

Taunts

• Taunts: Down, Down, Down, Down

Special Moves

• Ball Buster: Away,  Down, Front Punch
• Enhanced Ball Buster: Away, Down, Front Punch + Block
• Ball Buster (Hype): Away, Down, Front Punch, Flip Stance
• Show Off: Down, Left, Front Punch
• Extend Show Off: Hold Front Punch
• Enhanced Show Off: Down, Away, Front Punch +Block
• Throwing Shade: Forward, Down, Away, Back Punch
• Enhanced Throwing Shade: Forward, Down, Away, Back Punch + Block
• Throwing Shade (Hype): Forward, Down, Away, Back Punch, Flip Stance
• Rising Star: Down, Away, Front Kick
• Enhanced Rising Star: Down, Away, Front Kick + Block
• Rising Star (Hype): Down, Away, Front Kick, Flip Stance
• Shadow Dash: Down, Forward, Front Kick
• Enhanced Shadow Dash: Down, Forward, Front Kick + Block
• Extend Shadow Dash: Flip Stance
• Shadow Kick: Away, Forward, Back Kick
• Shadow Kick (Hype): Away, Forward, Back Kick, Flip Stance
• Hype: Forward, Down, Away, Back Kick
• Wowing Out: Forward, Down, Away, Back Kick

Fatal Blow

Finishers

In the Mortal Kombat 1 pre-order beta, there are only two finishers for Johnny Cage unlocked, with more needing to be unlocked when the title fully releases. This list will be updated with all the brutalities and fatalities available for Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat 1.

Fatalities

• Hollywood Walk of Pain: Forward, Away, Down, Back Punch

Brutalities

These are all of the listed base moves for Johnny Cage in the Mortal Kombat 1 pre-order beta, with more fatalities being unlockable through an in-game currency system similar to the previous main entry Mortal Kombat titles, with more being unlocked through playing different modes and exploring the game’s areas filled with mystery unlockables.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qLXNsWWtrl%2Bau3C5zqurmqRdoLyursCtZGpnmqS1r7rYZpqan5ViurDCxGajoqukYrOiwMCloK2xXZe%2FtsDApaCtsQ%3D%3D