If you watched the UFC fights this Saturday you were probably largely bored and disappointed until the fantastic conclusion of the last fight, when Vitor Belfort knocked out Luke Rockhold with a spinning heel kick.
The spinning heel kick actually does show up in Krav Maga, in the level 4 curriculum. In Krav we prefer to keep our moves simple and straightforward, but that's like saying basketball players prefer to dunk the ball: that may be a high percentage move for them, but it's not always the right move at the right time.
One of the difficulties in landing a spinning heel kick is that, even if you are fast, it's a lengthy technique compared to a straight punch. All you have to do to avoid it is move back a little bit, but if you watch Belfort's feet, you can see that he actually advances significantly, a foot or more, over the development of the kick. Rockhold may have been a bit slow to react, but he does start moving back; unfortunately for him Belfort catches up. Great execution by Belfort, and all of us who enjoy throwing spinning heel kicks are grateful for the way he just validated them.
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