He's been around a while, and he's a known value here.

Training brings with it proper attitude AND technique, which beats simple brute force and bravado every time. Your initial post gave the impression of discounting that. Your counter point continues that.

Example, stances. Stance is important, as how you hold yourself determines the the areas about your body into which you can block and strike, limits your visibility and profile, can reduce your mobility when it comes time to move your feet. What you are describing works well enough, if there is one attacker, you have a heavy club, and you take the time to beat them down.

And with a telescoping baton, you're going to be there for a while. Hope you get mugged by a narcoleptic, because one of the trade offs for the portability is a loss of brute mass. Of course, in that amount of time, the other guy who didn't notice has shoved a junk knife in your kidney because you were too busy going caveman on the one you did see.

If instead, you had broken mook A's knee cap then kicked him in the head, you'd have heard mook B coming. Anger isn't attitude, it's desperation. A clear mind survives.