This.
While merchandise can give you a hint as to what may appear next, it's not that reliable an indicator and is kind of loose. I mean, we've had a ton of Tyranitar merchandise last year pre-COVID hiatus with a lot of hype around Ash getting the baby Larvitar who fully evolved, yet that merchandise hinting went nowhere at the end of the day.
Hype in this case being fanmade theories. The merchandise is just there and didn't 'hint' towards baby Larvitar now being a Tyranitar - that's on us. Sometimes people say that 'the merchandise was deceiving us/leading us in the wrong direction'. It isn't, that's our interpretations and hopes.
I mean look at Galarian Ponyta. It's basically Pokémon's MyLittlePony, so of course they're milking the hell out if it in terms of merchandise. Then comes the Ponyta episode and... she
doesn't catch it? "
But the merch?!"
This.
That Salisbury bread package from way back seems to suggest that Dragonite fights Haxorus at some point. So i think ash will switch Dragonite, use Dracovish to beat angrynite, Dracovish will lose to Haxorus and then Dragonite will beat haxorus
Nah, Dragonite vs. Dragonite is set-up as the big fight. Sure, Ash could switch during the battle but as for now the following seems like the most logical scenario:
Dracovish vs. Angrynite: L for Dracovish, re-establishes Angrynite as the beefcake powerhouse to newer viewers.
Happynite vs. Angrynite: The 'big promoted match-up'. Ash's Dragonite takes out Angrynite. Giving Ash's his 'moment'.
Happynite vs.
Surprisorus: 'We' kept Axew out of the promotional material and evolved in offscreenland! You didn't see this one coming did you?!
Guess what I think happens when a tired Dragonite fights a surprise evolution Haxorus..
And that 'moment' I mentioned surely isn't going to be enough to satisfy.