Counters and body blocking.

I'm relatively new to UFC 6, but I'd like to get other peoples opinions. I'm having trouble with the consistency of pull counters and countering body shots after blocking with an upper cut. I was div 20 in UFC 4 and consistently div 20 in UFC 5, but struggle to get past div 16 in UFC 6 and it seems like some stuff "just doesn't work" in UFC 6, I find head movement when pulling back just tends to get tangled up especially when trying to fire back with an upper cut, don't get me wrong I've got pull counter wins, but it seems like luck of the draw if the game will do it smoothly or just lean back stick the fighters arm out and not do anything. Similar problem with body counters, I block a body hook go to fire an upper cut for the counter and the punch just doesn't come out and I just eat another body shot. I understand this game is a bit different with the silly flow state thing and odd sound effects, but these mechanics that have always felt relatively similar throughout most of the EA Sport UFC games, but seem quite different in this 6 so if someone could explain the new feeling of the game and how to work with it, that would be greatly appreciated.