User blog comment:B214/Anime Discussion/@comment-1359322-20150530124936/@comment-1359322-20150530172156

And i'm saying that was only possible because Kirihara was the first opponent. In the first match, Ikki didn't have any confidence at all but if he had won several matches beforehand then it would be completely different.

Just think about it, if Ikki won 9 matches and his final match is against Kirihara, do you think Ikki would be so nervous as in Volume 1 especially if he had defeated Tohka?

And be noted Ikki defeated Tohka using Ittou Rasetsu, which increase Ikki's physical abilities 100 times. By that time, even if Kirihara becomes the last opponent, Ikki would have just breeze through Kirihara like he's a baby.