My question is, is it better to disregard flow and structure, as TRIBAL clearly did here, in favor of harder punches, even if those harder punches don't really fit the rhyme scheme or help to make it a better read?

What am I missing here?

no don't disregard flow and structure...how does that hold you back? it really doesn't none of the LLL battlers disregard flow and they still have great punches...and rhyme scheme is set by you so it can take different routes and that actually makes it a better read.