This is pretty much exactly what happened. Like, really, what message is this sending? "Hey, if someone is smarter than you and/or is arguing with you, just HIT THEM! Might makes right! Yeaaaah! #BeAStar!"
Not only that, but the person has just explained why hitting them will destroy you in the long run.
HHH's "durr I'm Stone Cold now" act clashes with the idea that he's a savvy (This) businessman in a suit.