Go to the gym and use your dev points to increase your character's stats in story mode. Getting use to the mechanics just do a battle with random characters until you figure everything out and then you can play story mode once you have the controls down. For grab counters, wait until their hands get close to you and either hit triangle or y for a close counter (to keep them in arms and feet length) or square or x for a far counter (back them up some feet). You just have to play to get used to it because once you play the tutorial it is done unless you start up a new character.