He was goading you for a fight. That's how rednecks work.

Think about it. Go up to someone random. "We don't like-a yur kind round these parts. Yur kind be scarin' our daughters somethin' fierce."

What do you think they're trying to imply here?

If it were me, I would have told him I don't like rednecks, and that I got in a fight with a redneck once and he cried like a girl. Then when he took a swing at me, I'd apply a pain compliance hold (likely kotagaishi but block him from collapsing by pulling so I could restrain him with a severely painful but non-damaging wrist lock-- this is probably a Judo move, but I've yet to study Judo ... Judo is like that a lot, though) until he cried like a little girl. Then send him on his way; things get peaceful after that.

Sure, you can find 50,000 ways to prevent that from working out; and I can find 50,001 ways to make things worse for you. But that's me.

You don't really think he was just talking to hear himself talk, do you? Come on.

By the way, generally I really just ignore these types, though I make note and prime my reflexes in case they decide not to wait for me to make the first move. Usually people aren't "ready to fight" until you push them, but if they want a fight they'll goad you to get you to push them so they can go over. It's an emotional thing: they want a fight, but they're not feeling it, so they try to get you to knock 'em into it so they can ride it out. It's way easy to let them burn out on their own; but you risk further passive-aggression, and may find your bike damaged or stolen later. Even if you lose the fight, if you come out okay you might be better off (a few bruises versus lost or destroyed property? Good trade).

A wise man said you must choose your battles wisely; but it takes an extremely wise man to know which battles are wise to fight and which are unwise to walk away from.