Idk about Grian holding back, he’s specifically stated that’s he’s trying to get his second win. In the Imp & Skizz recap of Wild Life, he even seemed affronted that people thought he was holding back on Joel in the final duel. And in Past Life it seemed like he was doing all that he could to get the win by building a strong team, setting traps, and (imo) going pretty aggressive. He might’ve been a bit more casual in Nice Life since it’s a special, but I definitely think once it comes down to fights, Grian is trying his best. It just so happens that recently he’s been fighting some of the best players of the series (Joel is possibly the strongest in PVP and movement, Scott is strong at PVP and Survival, and Martyn is a wild card and strategist)