Ash und Richie sind Freunde geworden, müssen aber in der fünften Runde des Pokémon-Liga-Wettkampfes gegeneinander antreten. Sie schwören sich, dass dieser Kampf der beste ihres Lebens wird. Kurz vor dem Kampf ruft Jessie, die sich als Richie ausgibt, bei Ash an und will sich mit ihm treffen. Ash geht natürlich zu dieser Verabredung, und die Falle von Team Rocket schnappt zu. Mit Pikachus und Taubogas Hilfe kann Ash entkommen. Im Indigo Stadion warten alle auf Ash. Die Schiedsrichter entscheiden, dass der Kampf für Ash als verloren gewertet wird, da er nicht rechtzeitig angetreten ist...
Ash is to battle Richie in the next round of the Pokémon League competition. Misty is looking up some information on the computer about him. She finds that Richie won all of his first four rounds with just one Pokémon. Ash goes to the Pokémon Center and finds Richie there who was just picking up his Pokémon. Ash promises Richie a great battle the following day. Ash picks up his Pokémon and returns to the small house where he is staying to sleep for the night. The next day, they receive a phone call. It is Richie's voice, and rudely insults Misty over the phone. She hands it to Ash, and the voice tells Ash to meet him outside at a specific location and to bring Pikachu. When Ash arrives, he finds Richie (it is a dummy, except Ash thinks it is really Richie) and suddenly is trapped by Team Rocket. They throw him in their van and drive away, keeping Ash from the competition. Ash escapes using Squirtle to flood the van, and Team Rocket are up to their eyeballs in water. The back bursts open, and Ash starts to run back to be in time for the competition. Team Rocket get in his way again, bent on keeping him away from the league competition. He uses Bulbasaur and Pikachu to whip and shock them. He continues towards the league, but Team Rocket catch up on bicycles. They use Weezing to smog him out, but he hops on a bicycle and continues along. They catch up to him in their balloon and hook the bicycle. They start to float away, and so Pikachu is carried up by Pidgeotto to give them another big shock. Pidgeotto then starts to carry Ash toward the stadium. Meanwhile, back at the stadium after already being given ten additional minutes after the battle was supposed to start, they are about to declare that Ash has forfeit the match. Just as they almost declare Richie the winner, Ash shows up floating toward the stadium in the Team Rocket balloon. They begin the battle, and Ash sends Squirtle against Richie's Butterfree named Happy. Squirtle loses, and so Pikachu leaps out
Sacha doit affronter Richie, mais arrive en retard à cause de la Team Rocket. Sacha choisit Carapuce et Richie choisit Papilusion. Papilusion gagne. Sacha met Pikachu qui bat Papilusion, mais perd contre le Salamèche de Richie. Il ne reste plus qu'un Pokémon pour Sacha et c'est Dracaufeu. Dracaufeu bat le Salamèche de Richie, mais dort contre le Pikachu de Richie. Sacha est éliminé de la ligue Pokémon.
יום למחרת אש מתכונן לקרב מול ריצ'י אבל צוות רוקט חוטפים אותו ואת פיקאצ'ו ומנסים לעשות הכל כדי לגרום לו לאחר לקרב. אש נלחם בהם עם כל מה שיש לו, והפוקימונים שלו עוזרים לו בדרך להימלט ולהגיע לאצטדיון. ואז הקרב מתחיל!
באטרפרי (ריצ'י) מנצח את סקווירטל (אש). פיקאצ'ו (אש) מנצח את באטרפרי (ריצ'י). צ'רמנדר (ריצ'י) מנצח את פיקאצ'ו (אש). צ'אריזארד (אש) מנצח את צ'רמנדר (ריצי'). אבל אז צ'אריזארד (אש) מסרב להלחם בפיקאצ'ו (ריצ'י) ואש מפסיד את הקרב וריצי מנצח את הסיבוב.
Por culpa del Equipo Rocket, Ash tiene que pasar una odisea para llegar al estadio y combatir en una de las batallas más importantes de su vida. Ash Versus Richie.
Nel quinto round della Lega Pokémon Ash si trova a dover affrontare il suo nuovo amico Richie! La loro amicizia supererà questa combattuta prova?
I femte runde af Pokémon Ligaen sættes Ash og Richie op mod hinanden! Kan deres venskab holde til den vigtige kamp?
