that's nonsense.The sage does not control reality. The sage controls HIS reality. Its the same reason why danzo didn't just wish sasuke and Tobi out of existence, its because he couldn't. Its the same reason that the SO6P didn't simply wish the juubi out of existence, its because he couldn't. And its the same reason that the SO6P only "surpassed all his peers" after he became the juubi's jinchuriki, implying that before then there were a group of other warriors who were capable of fighting him at his level.
"surpassed all his peers" means his ability was no more bound to human/ninja restriction. Get it r8, he 'alone' defeated the juubi, all the tailed beasts combined,which had a rinnegan and sharingan fused eye, may be powerful then both of them combined. And 'HE DEFEATED IT'. So he surely was stronger than s06p without the juubi inside of him.
I say he was stronger than any other character in naruto verse including madara, Km naruto, Nagato tobi or whatever before having the juubi inside of him.