Did you just finish watching a Morj video?
The rival thing feels extremely forced with Kidd, Law is supposed to be his rival too (set up in Sabaody after the auction house bust) but he just kind of tags along.
Also every hillbilly pirate wanting to become Pirate King after Roger died technically has kingly ambitions too, and Oda doesn't give all of them Haki. I don't know how many people live in the One Piece world but I assume not too many since most live in small villages. Wasn't Conqueror's Haki supposed to be a one in a million thing? Now it feels like everyone gets it just because we advance more and more into the story.
I agree, see the aforementioned Luffy-Kid-Law thing