When you do this stance, it telegraphs what you’re about to do because everyone in the world knows the famous Crane Kick from the Karate Kid.
If you’re more subtle in your movements and hide it well, it can be devastatingly effective in a fight, as seen here being used by Lyoto Machida against Randy Couture.
Notice how he feints with his left foot first and doesn’t remain static for an extended period of time. You’ll see his arms do in fact go into the same position as Daniel-san when he performs the kick.
I should also point out a couple of things that made Machida performing the crane kick work.
- Machida grew up practicing karate under the tutelage of his father and holds a black belt in karate.
- Randy Couture, while an all-time great of the sport of MMA, isn’t a renown striker and fights better inside of a clinch.
- The crane kick had never effectively been used before and since Machida landed the above kick, hasn’t been used very effectively either.
Basically, the kick can work depending on the circumstances. If it’s the first time being thrown and no one has seen it before, then “no can defend.” But everyone knows it and you have to be a special talent to use it correctly, even more so to take out one of the best fighters in the world.