I slimmed your post down to the key points.
1). Being able to defend when downed is the entire argument I'm making. You are trying to argue that a downed opponent shouldn't be able to do anything, let alone defend themselves.
2). How it Should be is: You dropped the advantage when you dropped the opponent.
Downed states are supposed to be the breather for the person to get back up and back in the game. Again, built in referee.
Not just so the attacker can keep attacking, in which case there's literally no reason to even HAVE a downed state or ground game.
For the record, ground grapples are (mostly) fine. I'm talking about shit like continuing strings on downed opponents, which is just plain retarded.
1. In no FG to my experience have I seen a downed opponent become unable to do anything, and DOA5U is about as far away from an exception as possible. If the downed player feels like they are unable to do anything then they probably don't know how to take a knockdown or rise properly. Tech rolling is your best friend. Learn to use it properly. The amount of guaranteed FT's in 5U for the entire roster you can count on one hand.
2. That has to be the dumbest shit I've heard in awhile.
Downed states are supposed to be the breather for the person to get back up and back in the game. Again, built in referee.
No, downed states are supposed to be punishment for getting hit too much.
Not just so the attacker can keep attacking, in which case there's literally no reason to even HAVE a downed state or ground game.
This makes no sense and is counter-intuitive to how a fighting system should be. MMA fighters get next to no advantage when they're knocked down and consistently lose matches as a result of the ensuing pressure following a knockdown. I also find it interesting that you're fine with ground grapples (since you play Mila & Leon) but hate it when other characters hit you on the ground. How does an opponent avoid a ground grapple? By Teching! Just like any other ground attack!