I don’t give people chances anymore. You step to me, I’m knocking you out or hurting you. I don’t play games, I don’t give you chances to psych yourself up for the cheap shot.

Okay, Lads, I’m a former doorman. Some rough and tumble was part of the job description. Anyone that thinks this is a “brag” or “posing” has clearly not been in many, if any, physical confrontations, let alone been in that line of work. It’s a pretty simple, factual, sensible and extremely common attitude in such industries.
Let me break it down for you. If a drunk person put’s their face an inch from mine, I (and most people) will never spot a concealed weapon before it’s being used on me. If you’re right up in my face, you’re also reducing my situational awareness (maybe you’ve got a mate coming in from the side). That’s two reasons right there to deal with you immediately and pre-emptively. In my jurisdiction, it’s not assault because you’ve created a fear in me of being hurt, and I’m entitled to use reasonable force to deal with it.
When people want to get that close in your face, 90% of the time it’s going to be a rumble within a few minutes anyway, just after they’ve screamed enough and psyched themselves up, or shown off to whatever mates are around (or, usually, simply the general public). Posers feed off thinking they are generating fear in people. They aren’t brave enough to punch on without seeing it.
I’ve found that a disruption to that process, be it a headbutt to the face, punch to the jaw, or just a very sharp shove to the sternum to create distance and re-establish my “bubble”, will utterly deflate people that need that psych up. I’d say 90% of the time, a pre-emptive defensive strike would end it. The person would realise you’re not an easy target, and move on (usually screaming etc). Rarely, it’d be a punch up, but you’ve usually rattled them / got them off balance already.
TRIGGER WARNING
So yeah, if you’re in your early 20’s bubble, have never been in a fight, and think everyone on the internet’s a poser for having a force escalation strategy in mind, good for you. I’ve met you 100 times. You’re the smarmy, sheltered, intellectual, soft bubble kid that would without fail hide behind me when shit goes down. Then have loud angry talks about global warming with a girl you just met at 11pm in the bar, or insist she’s stupid for buying an android phone.
Reddits amazing. Y’all have this hard on for people not being self-confident in self-defence, but if anything goes down the extent of your usefuless would be to call the police, and be absolutely ecstatic if the person who caused you fear ended up being tasered.
In the meantime go and step to your local nightclub bouncer within an inch of his face, and scream at him about how he must think he’s a “tough guy”. Report back how that goes for you. If you think my policy isn’t the industry standard, you should be juuuuuuuuust fiiiiiine.