[quote=“Durins Bane”]I’m 120kgs and I have have been put to the mat by someone half my size. 
It isn’t a matter of strength or size, it’s a matter of balance.[/quote]
I have a old film footage from 1966 of Okinawan karate master Tatsuo Shimabuku (4’11", 110lbs.) wiping the mat with a 6’4", 240lbs. U.S. Marine. Another funny thing about “real” karate … I don’t think he used a single punch or kick in the entire series of techniques. It’s a combination of superior balance, speed, how to generate explosive power (through the correct placement and alignment of the feet, legs, pelvic girdle, and on up), and also experience.
As far as falling back on the basics in actual combat, I agree and I don’t. Since my base system is karate, the “basics” I have to fall back on are things like punches and kicks, and in a confrontation where you don’t want a bloody mess on your hands or cause serious injury, that isn’t the best way to go, IMO. So, in the few times that I’ve actually had to defend myself, I have usually used “other” stuff, like nerve attacks (tearing, ripping, gouging, rubbing, and otherwise manipulating nerves, joints, tendons, etc.) It hurts like hell, gets the job done, and doesn’t leave any marks (also good if you want to avoid getting sued, hehe). The only time I recall using a punch or kick is when some big huge drunk mammoth of a guy attacked me one night when I was in college. I had him in a wrist lock and on the ground, but since he was so drunk he couldn’t feel the pain as much as if he had been sober, so I had to kick him in the solar plexus (once) to get him to quit resisiting. So, you always have to be able to adapt (and quickly) to different situations that require different responses.
This is an interesting discussion, I like it. 