Did we just move from "Ikveta Dimshiha" to "Penei Mashiah"?

Rav Amir Cohen: Based on the Baba Sali's Blessing to Rav Mazuz ZTVK"L, We Perhaps Moved from the Period of Ikveta Dimshiha to the Period of Penei Mashiah

A little background:

Rav Meir Mazuz, the Rosh Yeshiva of Kisei Rahamim and one of the great rabbis of our generation, passed away on the 7th day of Pesah.  He was 80 years and 8 days old when he passed away.

According to this video by Rav Naftali Nissim, on the 13th of Nissan (his 80th birthday) this year, he asked for 10 men to come to his bedside.  They came and his daughter saw that his face was shining.  She asked him why this was so, and he replied, "Because this is the last day." He knew that he would pass away on the 13th of Nissan, but later changed his mind due to the fact that he didn't want to pain the Jewish people with a funeral during the holiday so he was able (presumably via צדיק גוזר...) to push it off for 8 days.

Before he passed away, while he was gravely ill, people were encouraged by the following story (see this video [at the 3-minute mark] in Hebrew and also in the previous video):

51 years ago, in 5734, Rav Mazuz fell from the third story of a building and he severely damaged his leg to the point where his doctors were doubtful that he would even survive.  His wife went to the Baba Sali ZY"A and asked for a blessing.  The Baba Sali assured her that not only would he survive, but he would walk again, he would have length of days,  and he would greet the face of Mashiah (Penei Mashiah).

The first 3 parts of the blessing were miraculously fulfilled.  B"H, he survived, he was able to walk again, and reached the age of 80 (גבורות).  However, as Mashiah has not yet arrived, it seems that the final blessing about greeting Mashiah has not yet been fulfilled.  So, people were encouraged when they heard this, but were later discouraged when Rav Mazuz ZTVK"L passed away with the blessing seemingly unfulfilled.

There are a number of ways to answer the question.  Some, like Rav Nissim in the first video, want to say that he did see the Mashiah, but he just wasn't revealed yet, but will be if the generation is worthy.

Rav Amir Cohen, a Talmid of Rav Mazuz, has a different take.  He says in this video that the period before Mashiah comes is divided into different periods (it wasn't clear what the order is):

• עקבות של משיח (the footsteps of Mashiah)
• חמורו של משיח (the donkey of Mashiah)
• אורו של משיח (the light of Mashiah)
• פני משיח (the face of Mashiah)

He then says that perhaps, a short time before he passed away on the 7th of Pesah, we entered a new period called "Penei Mashiah" - the face of Mashiah - which is a higher stage of the Geula process.  And that perhaps was the intent of the Baba Sali's blessing.  

It's unclear how this new period differs from the previous period of Ikveta Dimshiha, but we know from the Mishna/Beraita in Sotah that the period of Ikveta Dimshiha was not destined to be a pleasant one, to say the least.  If Rav Cohen is correct, may this new period be one of only good things for our nation, and may it lead quickly and painlessly to the coming of Mashiah בב"א.