Board Thread:Versus Debates/@comment-29908830-20180221011538/@comment-11891028-20180223233518

Eh, Naruto won with the help of Gamabunta, which pre-shippuden he's only really summoned in a life or death situation, it was really down to their cooperation ninjutsu and Gamabunta subdueing Shukaku that Naruto was able to land a hit on Gaara. If he didn't summon Gamabunta then he'd probably have been encased in a sand coffin.

Unless he taps into tailed beast chakra like against Neji, then I don't really see the toads being that useful to him. He could always use the demon fox cloak to gain the upper hand, but he'd need to be quite emotional to be able to activate it.