Having both progressed through the initial rounds of the Lily of the Valley Conference, it's finally time for Ash and Paul's long awaited league battle. With Brock, Dawn, Barry and Piplup (acting as cheerleader) watching from the stands, Team Rocket selling snacks to the audience and Champion Cynthia and Charles Goodshow observing too, both competitors are brought into the main stadium where they will conduct a full battle to decide who get through to the semi-finals. Ash decides to begin with Pikachu, and Paul sends out his first Pokémon, Aggron. The two trainers face off, both aiming to settle their long-standing rivalry once and for all...
The action then shows a flashback of Ash preparing for his battle against Paul by getting in some last-minute training alongside Gliscor, which has recently returned from it's training with McCann the Air Master. Gliscor practices Giga Impact in a session with Dawn's Mamoswine while Barry watches from Ash's side. After commending his Pokémon on how much its improved since being left for training, Ash reflects on his past battle with Paul, on how badly he lost and how much he's hoped to have improved. Inside the Pokémon Center, Dawn preps Piplup and gives him his new cheering uniform. Meanwhile, Paul talks to Reggie about his upcoming battle with Ash. Paul discovers Dawn eavesdropping and Paul confesses his main problem with Ash... his talk about bringing out a Pokémon's inner strength and how any Pokémon has the potential to be strong reminds him a lot of Reggie. Dawn points out to Paul that just as Reggie is Reggie, Ash is Ash and does things his own way. Everyone soon meets outside, and Paul makes Ash promise to give him a good battle to which Ash agrees.
Returning to the present, Paul begins by having Aggron use Metal Claw, and Ash has Pikachu counter with Iron Tail and the two Template:Type2 moves impact canceling each other out. Paul then tells Aggron to use Metal Sound. A high-pitched noise is produced from Aggron's horns which causes pain to Pikachu. In the stands, Meowth is also affected and can barely move, leading Jessie and James to cheer for Ash in order to make sure no-one notices Meowth. Piplup is also affected by the attack as Brock explains that Metal Sound lowers a Pokémon's special defense. Ash instructs Pikachu to use Thunderbolt to stop Aggron's attack, and Pikachu manages to pull it off, stopping Aggron as well as causing a little damage. Pikachu is then told to use Volt Tackle, and Pikachu speeds towards Aggron ready to strike with the powerful move. Paul counters with Aggron's Flash Cannon, hitting Pikachu and sending him flying. Ash knows Pikachu is struggling and decides to call him to save for later and substitutes with Infernape. Cynthia recognizes Infernape as the Chimchar she once battled while Team Rocket are excited to see Infernape battle, having had a soft spot for it since the Tag Battle Tournament. Paul tells Aggron to use Double-Edge while Ash tells Infernape to counter with Flare Blitz. The two powerful and dangerous attacks collide. The two are sent backwards, and Infernape suffers from the recoil. Unfortunately, Aggron has the Rock Head ability which cancels out the normal recoil from Double-Edge... but luckily for Ash, it turns out that Aggron has suffered burns from Flare Blitz. Ash then instructs Infernape to use Mach Punch, and Paul instructs Aggron to use Flash Cannon, but Infernape lands Mach Punch before Aggron could counter-attack. The hit is hard, Aggron is send flying and when the smoke clears from its landing, it is unable to battle, giving Ash the lead.
Paul then sends out his Gastrodon and Ash calls back Infernape and sends out Staraptor. Gastrodon begins with Muddy Water and Staraptor uses Quick Attack and lands the attack; Gastrodon continues using Muddy Water, and clips Staraptor using an attack style that Ash has used countless times on Paul in the past. Ash instructs Staraptor to dive down and use Aerial Ace, and Gastrodon counter-attacks with Body Slam, trapping Staraptor. Gastrodon then uses Water Pulse and shoots it to the sky then comes down with more power, and when all seems lost, Staraptor uses Close Combat on the ground, lifting him up and escaping the Water Pulse. Paul instructs Gastrodon to use Ice Beam, bringing the in-flight Staraptor to a screeching halt and a meeting with good ol' earth. Ash calls back Staraptor and sends out Buizel. Gastrodon uses Ice Beam again and Buizel uses Aqua Jet, and becomes frozen in the move, but uses the now Ice Aqua Jet to hit Gastrodon. Gastrodon then uses Body Slam, and Ash thinks quickly and instructs Buizel to use Ice Punch, causing Gastrodon to faint.
Paul sends out Drapion and attacks with Pin Missile, and Buizel counter-attacks with its Counter Shield technique, Buizel's defense with Water Gun while spinning. Drapion then uses Cross Poison, which Buizel dodges by sliding behind Drapion. Buizel then uses SonicBoom from behind Drapion, who blocks the attack. Drapion grabs Buizel with its tail, ending this segment of the battle.
