As an adult man I know not to instigate shit with someone who is bigger and stronger. Nobody would defend me if it was me in this video instead of this woman. I would be told "shouldn't have started shit" no matter how unequal the response is. Funny how white knights don't show up in the threads where drunk guys get knocked out by bouncers who are much bigger than them.
The default is to give the benefit of the doubt. If he's lying and people don't call him out then so be it. He would still know he made up a story for sympathy and is not worthy of any sort of love or happiness. But if he's telling the truth then you end up looking like the asshole.