User blog comment:B214/Shin DxD 1 discussion/@comment-36663391-20180920083134/@comment-34061653-20180922133946

How does their pride prove they were holding back? If anything it would only prove they both were giving it their all. Vali had a hard battle against Azi Dahaka and now he's fighting against someone stronger so why would he hold back? The only time Vali held back was when he was in his EJOD to which it was no match for Crom.

For Crom, he was finally fighting someone on his level and we see how excited he was.