Malphite's only gap-closer is Unstoppable Force (R), so as a melee champ he gets constantly poked from outside his range by Plasma Fission (Q) and Void Rift (W), losing the sustained trade.

Whenever Nasus steps up to stack Siphoning Strike (Q), he gets poked by Plasma Fission (Q) and Void Rift (W), and Tectonic Disruption (E)'s knock-up interrupts his last-hits, slowing his scaling.

Vel'Koz's poke range far outreaches Ryze's Overload (Q) (550), chipping him down before he closes, and Tectonic Disruption (E)'s knock-up interrupts him the moment he steps in to combo.

Vel'Koz has no mobility, so Kassadin closes the gap with Riftwalk (R), and Null Sphere (Q)'s silence interrupts the channel of Life Form Disintegration Ray (R), letting him win reliably.

Zed dodges Vel'Koz's skillshots with Living Shadow (W) as he approaches, then deletes the immobile Vel'Koz in one burst with Death Mark (R) and his combo.

Fizz negates Plasma Fission (Q) and Life Form Disintegration Ray (R) with Playful / Trickster (E) as he dives in, and once he lands, the escapeless Vel'Koz simply bursts down.

Katarina slips between skillshots with Bouncing Blade (Q) and Shunpo (E), and Voracity (P)'s reset on kills lets her repeatedly cut down Vel'Koz.

Wind Wall (W) blocks projectiles such as Plasma Fission (Q), but it does not block Life Form Disintegration Ray (R). Yasuo denies Q, closes with Sweeping Blade (E), then sidesteps or interrupts the ultimate with Steel Tempest (Q)'s third cast.