Ceteris paribus, being better at front-kicking makes one a better fighter. One would probably need mastery of more than the one technique to be considered levels up: rationalism 102, 103, etc. I just used one example of a basic fighting technique because the sentence flowed better that way; I didn't put much time in thinking about and formulating it.

But the point was that no advanced techniques are needed to be many levels above normal. I see now that the comment might imply it's enough to be several levels up with one skill alone. At 45 seconds into this video is a fight between a master of grappling and a regular MMA fighter. If they had made it to the ground together and conscious, Gracie would have won easily. He needed a more credible striking threat so Gomi would have had to defend against that too, and thereby weaken his defense against being taken down.

I meant something like:

I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times. ~ Bruce Lee

I have probably heard that quote before, but wasn't consciously thinking of it.

How do fights end? Not with spinning jumping back-kicks to the head, but with basic moves better executed than basic counters to them. Right cross, arm-bar, someone running away, simple simple.

By analogy, for rationalism I'm emphasizing the connection between basic and advanced rationality mentioned by Kaj_Solata. If you don't have the basics, you have nothing, and you can't make up for it with moderate facility at doing advanced things.