i dont think it is against the rules to "provoke" someone. provoke what? violence onto ur own face?
the queens guy made a smiley face to muirheads sad face. if muirhead was a less violent person it wouldnt be provocation, it would just have been a smiley face, while muirhead ran to his own half to mount maybe one last attack.
different players have different strengths, muirhead came up against a guy who read him like a book, or took a chance, or was happy too near to him.