well i take issue with setting... first off all even if he is jobless there is no way any self respecting evil noble would let the mc slip through his fingers
he is a bonafide mercenary, so he is jobless so what? thats just a good reason to pay him less concerning wetwork or guarding result are all that matters who cares about reputation?...
then calling him a copycat... if the copy surpasses the original in quality or ability it becomes the new original, also humans arent so nice as to defend a gladiator that just got schooled they are more likely to humiliate the looser than attack the winner