It's like a wolverine backing off a giant bear, the aggressive nature of the smaller animal confuses the much bigger one. If push became shove, the bear or lion would ultimately kill the wolverine or honey badger, respectively, but in most cases, the bigger animal just won't risk injury and will move on to easier meals.
In all-out battle, a 35-pound honey badger isn't going to survive against a 500-pound lion nor will a 60-pound wolverine survive against a 800-pound bear. Sheer ferocity and bravery will only get you so far when you are hugely over-matched.