MiG-29 vs F-35. Why Bother? [Thoughts]

There are many reasons why this matchup, for the lack of a better word, makes little sense. In fact, unless you play a specific scenario (e.g. modern NATO stomping a vastly poorer nation), or you play in a terrible casual server, the two modules should not see each other. And no, this is not a half joke about the F-35’s stealth capabilities or the Fulcrum’s poor radar performance.
Let’s look at the matter from a different perspective. Why are certain people complaining about MiG-29 versus F-35 but not MiG-15bis versus F-14B? Or, even funnier, the I-16 Type 24 and the F-4E-45MC? Let me explain.

The MiG-29 9.12A is an export version of the MiG-29 9.12, which was introduced in 1983. The F-35A, has entered services for the first time in 2016. Sort of. Plenty of countries are still waiting for their deliveries, almost a decade after the very first introduction. And better not mention the teething issue. Any way, month more month less, 33 years separate the two aircraft.

Although the “era factor” per sé has limited impact, 33 years in terms of aircraft development are a tremendous amount of time. In fact, 33 years separate the 1954 MiG-15bis and the F-14B, which rolled out starting from 1987. And again, 33 years separate the Polikarpov I-16 Type 24 from the McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II. These variants belong to circa 1941 and 1974 respectively, with some caveats already discussed on this channel.
All the modules mentioned are playable in DCS, or soon-ish be, in the case of Fulcrum and Lightning II. So, I wonder, how often do you see I-16 fighting Phantoms, or MiG-15s fighting Tomcat-B in DCS servers? I don’t think very often.

As mentioned, the year of introduction has a limited meaning in terms of aircraft capabilities, but I think it is the simplest metre to convey a fairly basic and general idea of the gap between the two modules. Ergo, why would the MiG-29 9.12A be in the same server with an F-35? I would understand a modernised MiG-29M or MiG-35, which entered service in the late 2000s, but not the original variant.
The 9.12A belongs with the F-14A-135, the F-14B, the F-4E and the Mirage F1. And it is a real shame that we have lost the Mirage 2000C, which would have been a spectacular opponent to the Fulcrum.

This leaves with the question of where to put the F-35. Well, one controversial opinion is sufficient for one day, so I leave the topic for another one.