This fight is a contender for the worst thing in the series. The stakes are way too high for no reason. And it makes no sense for it to happen in the first place. It is in literally nobody's interest for Alibaba to face his very likely death unprepared in his first match. Even the colosseum is not deathmatches most of the time, otherwise so many people wouldn't be recommending it as a training spot.
It feels like a whole mini-arc was condensed into this handful of chapters, leaving it with all the long-term relevant moments, but delivered like totally nonsense.