Of course sensors and weapons are important in air combat, and to imply that anyone thinks otherwise is a bit obtuse.
However, EM and controllability are also important, until the dawn of the CSBA-predicted age of UCAVs and LRSB-derivatives launching >100 nm-range AAMs at each other. And it was EM and controllability that this demonstration was about. The idea was to see how the F-35's characteristics would work out in live combat as opposed to test points.
It's also completely beside the point to bang on about Zeros. The F-35A is a transonic 9g airframe designed to shoot AIM-9s and AIM-120s; that is, either it's designed to go nose to nose with F-16s, Sukhois &c or a lot of time and money has been wasted.
Also, it's a bit confusing to argue on the one hand that "you're not going to fight 4.5 gen aircraft" (if you must use that thoroughly misleading taxonomy) and in the next moment defend stealth by citing the PAK-FA and J-20. Make your mind up, willya?