"This is no time to be amazed! I must record this!"
—RotomDex
Japanese Title: Clawmark Hill, Iwanko and Lugarugan!!
Original Airdate: February 23, 2017
US Airdate: June 24, 2017
First rule of Pokémon Fight Club...Do not talk about Pokémon Fight Club...SECOND RULE OF POKÉMON FIGHT CLUB...
When Rockruff shows up back at Professor Kukui's lab injured, Professor Kukui and Ash investigate to see what's keeping Rockruff up at night. They discover a fighting group of wild Pokémon, and find that Rockruff has a grudge with a Magmar. Can Ash teach Rockruff to master one of its signature moves?
This episode contains examples of the following tropes:
- Because You Were Nice to Me: After Ash helped it learn a new move and defeated a wild Pokémon, Rockruff decided to be part of his team.
- Camera Fiend: When the action starts heating up at Clawmark Hill, RotomDex starts documenting everything.
- Captain Obvious: Ash tells Rockruff it shouldn't let Magmar's Flamethrower hit it. Kiawe says that should be obvious.
- Eye Catch: The Dare da? is Midday Lycanroc. Japanese and English use different profile images.
- Fight Clubbing: Two Lycanroc—a Midday and a Midnight—lead a kind of "Fight Club" for wild Pokémon.
- Logic Bomb: RotomDex cannot wrap its electric mind around Ash's training methods.
- Made of Iron: Ash decides to test Rockruff's Rock Throw by using himself as a target. His classmates are left in surprise over this.
- The Reveal: Professor Kukui reveals to Ash that Rockruff is not his Pokémon. Rockruff was just a wild Pokémon he was studying. This enables Ash to catch Rockruff for himself at the end.
- Rump Roast: Rockruff tried to dodge Turtonator's Flamethrower, but it caught the end of its tail. The result is the image at the top of this page.
- Shaking the Rump: This episode is known for the scenes in which Ash and the pokemon shake their butts.
- Training Montage: The middle of the episode shows Ash's...unique method of training, so he can get Rockruff to master Rock Throw, and to dodge Magmar's Flamethrower. It's largely Played for Laughs, and is punctuated by RotomDex repeatedly boggling over Ash's training methods.
