New user registration email verification not working in v7.02.07 PHP7 fix

Has anybody applied the V7.02.07 fix that makes it compatible with PHP7.x (the one I followed specifically was the fix file fusion702-fix_for_php7.zip from this thread) and found after that the new user registration option of email verification no longer works? I am having this issue. The registration appears to work to the new user and the email verification is sent, complete with the new user's username and password. But the username/password is not recognized when the user tries to login. On the admin side, I try to look for that new user registration that might be pending approval and it is nowhere to be found as if that user never registered. No users pending approval, nothing.

Does anyone have any ideas/tips on where/how to look for this problem for resolution?

Thanks!