MMA Question:

is the teep kick/push kick usable in MMA? or is it just too likely to get you taken down?

Just recently Wes Simms hit Mir with a nice one. Also, Shimmy Scmit ( spelling?) used the frequnelty in his fights.

any tips for using it without being put on one's ass? points to look out for?

The front kick is still valid, but the "push" defensive, distance, kick is not for MMA.

You need to blast the kick in with Umph! like you're kicking the door down! and follow it with hands. - you're not using to to keep him from you, you're using it to hurt him, close the gap.

This is just the method I was trained with in San Shou, where takedowns and throws are a factor.