User blog comment:Neowitch/668 - Pet Axolotl/@comment-3119203-20120523162512/@comment-4754162-20120524073833

Transformation or not, Hody buffen up himself with those pills, got extraordinary strength + endurance and (as PX clearly stated so) nearly killed Luffy back then. This is a fact.

Now, plot-armor aside (i.e protection from death due to being story's protagonist) Luffy nearly died at that time. In his hours of desparate struggle (stopping Noah) and having death staring him in his face (ES'ed Hody), we are saying that he "did not show anything amazing because he hasn't need to yet"???

IDK man, but in his shoes at that time, I would have pulled out all my trump cards or otherwise I may not live to use it anymore...

I'll NOT be happy if say in near future Luffy pulled one badass move which had everyone thinking "Man, that would have KO'ed Hody easily back then, wonder why he didn't use it"...

In saying this, I agree with PX's point - Luffy does not impress me with his current fighting level. x-)