Oh then I fully agree. I said a while back Loki has to glaze Luffy at some point. It just has to happen.
I'm pretty shocked it didn't happen against Gunkimu tbh, Loki is breaking all norms so far.
It didn't happen against Gunkmu because oda planned to introduce IMU true form this arc.
And, Loki is an anomaly - just like Luffy and Teach. Loki is a special case.
But as you said, Loki is bound to glaze Nika and for a character like him, it only happens during a fight which he can't win and other character (in this case Nika) ends up coming across as a hope.
This is how one gets reality check. Loki no matter how strong or special case he is, at the end he will follow Luffy and for this, he needs to see hope in Luffy - the real liberator and the Sun God.
This has been consistent so far since the beginning of one piece so I have more reasons to believe it will happen again and not otherwise