I posted this one a while ago but in case someone didn't read it at that time:
I read a Steve Beran exclusive interview in a local gaming magazine after E3. Beran said that they called those missing chunks shark bites and they meant to be express the over-the-top-violence in MK9. He also confirmed that they were replaced in MKX. As a lot of fans said after hands-on sessions, MKX have an amazing level of detail and you can see realistic scars, bruises and scratches on kharacters - in person. Allegedly these aren't really visible on YT videos or blurry streams but if you have the chance to monitor a fight, you can check it out.
So instead of shark bites the beauty lies in realistic, little details this time. Watch the winning poses on video, when the camera zooms on the kombatants, you can see the new battle damage, scars, mud and sweat on kharacter models.