Someone PMed me and asked that I attempt this thread. So... I'll do my best and ya'll can add your input as well.

First off, these characters are so unpredictable that its hard to make a guide that would work everytime or even most of the time. Beating Kung Lao and Raiden has more to do with your ability to read your opponent than anything else. What I can do in this thread is explain how to give you the best chance possible. So thats the aim here.

VS KUNG LAO:
According to Match-up charts your best chance is to choose, Kabal, Mileena, or Kitana. Of those three I personally favor Kabal. However this is the theory behind the other two:
-Mileena:
Mileena can check Kung Lao with her telekick. Because Lao must account for this, he isn't able to be quite as aggressive, the kick also punishes a lot of Lao's arnesal on reaction. Sai toss is faster than both of his hats. If you know her long combos you can match his output.
-Kitana
Kitana as usual would rely on zoning Kung Lao out with Instant Air fans, dealing chip damage and hitting her big combos when one of them connects. She would use her extremely quick d+1 to poke Lao if he attempted a teleport. Rinse and Repeat. Having her X-ray charged would nulify Lao's hat game.
Kabal:
I like Kabal the best of these three because I believe he is actually slightly better than Kung Lao, just not as brain dead to use. In this match up you out read Lao and beat him with the correct response.
Lao is hat zoning: Your instant air gas ball and ground saw are better than his hats. If you have meter, use enhanced nomad dash to charge through a hat and get a free combo.
Lao Dive Kicks: High air gas ball.
Lao attempts 121 mid/low hat mix up pressure: This is a bitch for anyone, but Kabal has his own pressure game which is actually scarier than Lao's.
YOu need to practice this technique in practice, even if you can only do it 1 in 5 times its scary. F+3, 2, b,f+O, b+blk repeat in sequence to create a nasty block trap.
Your goal in this match however is to keep Lao away, Only engage him close if you have no other option. Kabal's specials are better, whereas Lao's damage out put and normals are better.
General VS Lao:
Most Lao players do a specific special move based on what part of the screen they are at.
-In close, look out for spins, stand back a little, and use a projectile to punish.
-At full screen, expect a barrage of low hats. If you have more life just trade projectiles and wait for a teleport. If you have less life, then advance with crouch blocks UNTILL...
-Midscreen: Pause your advance and do a standing block, enjoy a free combo off of his blocked dive kick.
-If Lao is knocked down: walk up to him but stop short, and throw a projectile to punish his wake up spin.
-If Lao connects his X-ray: Block Low as you get up from it because they always throw a low hat.

VS RAIDEN:
Reptile is the go to guy here. Its still a guessing game but it tilts a little in Reptiles favor.
Spit: spit is fast enough to stop both the fly and his teleport.
Force balls: Your force balls land you a free combo if they connect. Thus they beat his electric fly decisively.
Elbow dash: You can toss this thing out a lot. Its very safe most of the time, and it punishes blocked fly at any range as well as well read teleports.
Slide: If you get in close on Raiden you can attempt to mix Elbow dash and slide to give Raiden a small dose of his own medicine.
If you can corner Raiden: Throw him repeatedly because throws beat his fly and his teleport on wake up in the corner because your able to dash up to him faster.

The match is basically a guessing game and a spamfest, but your spam is better than his most of the time. Also Reptile has a special hitbox that allows you to more easily escape some of Raiden's pressure.


Thats what I got. Others feel free to add.