Half true, half false.
The fight between Gray and Rufus had a bit more importance in it than the general fights since it was meant for Gray to reestablish himself as someone capable after his defeat the first day. His peronal ego was on the line, which was also enhanced by some screen time for Rufus as well. Now? Now it's just some new villains who followed the classic flaw of events of showup-split up-fight. It wasn't the previous chapter that makes me sceptical about the wolves, it is this one. Cuz honestly, what do you see at the end of this? Do you see FT losing to them and therefore a new series of events based on that loss? Don't get me wrong, I really think there is a reason for them to be here, I expect a little something out of this, but not something that requires all 5 of them, in other words, some of them are bound to end up as fodder, hence the general opinion that things are dragging.
Though this is my general interpretation of the negative opinion, I have to say I'm not that much bound to it. I'd rather view this situation as two arcs being developed back to back rather as one looong arc.