Good one, mate.
Poor jokes aside. I think you mixed "Martial Arts" with "gimmicks".
"Jax was doing boxing"
I don't think you know how boxing looks like. Just cause someone puts their arms up, and punches you in the face, it does not mean, that that person is a boxer or is boxing. Boxing isn't just just guarding and punching. There is a specific footwork just for the boxer, there are dodges, there are counters, the are specific DASHES.
Just because Jax uses couple of moves, that look like boxing, doesn't mean he is actually a boxer. And last time I checked, boxers don't grab their opponents.
You wanna see how you design a character with boxing in mind?
That's how.
Also, Johnny is doing anything, but kickboxing. Same as Jacqui (whose kicking animation made me and Xenon burst out in tears. Entire body frozen and only a leg is moving. Come on.). I do kickboxing in a club near me. What Jacqui and Johnny are doing are just gimmicks. NOT Kickboxing.
Same with Cassie or any other character. They have couple of moves, that are used to claim "this character is a martial artist, yada yada". And they only use flashy moves. So no. There are no martial arts in MK11.
But the things is, I am not saying that MK11 sucks, cause it doesn't have martial arts. I am just asking not to insult actual martial arts, by calling whatever these characters are doing, as martial arts.
The only time. THE ONLY TIME, when Mortal Kombat had used ACTUAL Martial Arts, was in 3D Era. Characters actually both used the moves and stances from the real life martials arts. Shorin Ryu, Hapkido, Mi Tzu, Sumo, FanZi. Holy shit. Liu Kang was using Ju Fan. The style of Bruce Lee.
MK9 didn't have martials arts in them, just gimmicks. Nor MKX. And MKX is completely obvious. Like I said. It doesn't make the game bad, cause they don't use them anymore. I wished to see them, but... PoP Culture man. Point is, don't tell me that is Martial Arts, cause it is not. It would be an insult to martial arts. ESPECIALLY with the current animations during the MK11 gameplay.