The whole point of that episode was to show how hot-headed and spontaneous Sonny was and it was these character traits that got him killed. His enemies knew this and used it to lure him to his own demise. The big difference between Sonny and Mike is that Sonny always acted with his temper while Mike was level-headed and deliberate. Sonny's irrational temper got him killed while Mike used patience to get his revenge and, ultimately, his power.