LOL @ someone actively avoiding the clinch in a street fight. The only kind of street fight that may not end up in the clinch is the 'challenge match' type where two guys go toe-to-toe in a parking lot, i.e. the completely unnecessary and hopelessly juvenile kind. In almost every real self defense scenario, the aggressor (who, for the sake of argument, I'll assume you are not, because that would be stupid) is coming forward and closing the distance for you, more than likely trying to grab you as well.
Also, most nightlife brawls happen in crowded clubs where there is hardly enough space to throw a proper punch, much less keep someone at jabbing range. In situations like these, (outside) trips are also way safer in terms of being able to remain standing, going to knee on belly or disengaging and getting away, as opposed to getting tangled up on the ground in a chaotic environment.
As for the outside trip/osoto gari, it is not very common in wrestling due to the obvious issue of the crouching stance, but you can still hit it going across the body like a knee tap (instead of straight backwards), which Sergei Beloglazov, considered maybe the greatest freestyle wrestler of all time, used to do quite a bit. Believe it or not, there are other successful styles of wrestling in this world than U.S. folkstyle and shooting.