If Escanor's flames are hotter than the Haki's resistance, as you seem to imply by the 2nd half of your message, how are you saying it probably gets negated?
Either way, Escanor typically just starts with testing his opponent's strength. Nothing special more than just trying to cut them in half, really. Or... finger them? (this is if he's serious, surprisingly, when he's really serious he throws away his axe) I have no idea how to word that in a way that doesn't sound bad. Basically he has a technique that he can use where he just does a finger thrust (not just in The One form, he does it in sunshine form against Possessed Zeldris).