The simple explanation is he knows he is going to lose (as everyone has been saying since he tried to back out), and either be forced to buy the company or pay

The simple explanation is he knows he is going to lose (as everyone has been saying since he tried to back out), and either be forced to buy the company or pay a break up fee. With most thinking the fee would be in the 10B+ range, there's an argument to just go through with the sale and at least end up with an asset. In some ways at 10B+, he's pot committed.