These unusual attitude manuvers always occured at contrail altitudes, probably for the graphic assist .. the chase plane would circle the event plane as it descended.
Too far away from where I was.. our r/c field is about 30 miles from the EAFB flying area.. to get any reasonable photos.
I haven't seen anything like that in years though.
Another oddity would be the contrail going to the east at a high rate of speed, with the trail getting those kinks and zigs typical of an ICBM launch, indicating a serious altitude change, the zigs coming from the different wind directions as the plane passed up thru them.

Maybe it was a test program. That would explain the chase plane and that you haven't seen it in a while.

I can see where conventional jet fighter pilots could get suckered by the super Russian fighters with vector thrusting and follow them into a stall in thin air.
They would have to find a quick way to recover before the vector plane reverses and kills them.
Many big twin engined fighters with vectored thrust look like slobby targets to nimble fighters till it becomes a vertical horsepower fight.
Never go vertical and slow down if your enemy can rapidly accelerate straight up.

I have talked with many F16 pilots in my career. According to them, zooming vertical in a fight only presents a fantastic heat signature for a missile to lock on to. It has little or no tactical value once in a fight. They climb vertically to gain height quickly before engaging.

The Russian cobra thingy looks great at airshows but it has little value in a fight as well. The plane is nearly stationary for a long time compared to its opponents -- long enough to get shot down. They would have to be very lucky to score a kill that way. Remember, fighters rarely travel alone. Speed continues to be life to a fighter pilot from what they tell me.