[Morthoron]

I am 6' 2'' and 225 pounds. My younger brother is 6'6'' 300 pounds. I know he can beat me up if he likes. He knows he can beat me up if he likes. However, we both know he would ultimately have to kill me, because if left alive, I would come back at him with a baseball bat. We have never had a fist fight ever. *shrugs*

I think Saruman did indeed overpower Gandalf at Orthanc (although perhaps not as dramatically as the "Star Wars with Staffs" sequence in the movie). The reason I believe this is that when Gandalf defeated the Balrog and died, he was ressurrected into 'white' status, and his sacrifice was a purification in order to reach that next 'power' level. It would make little sense for Tolkien to write that part of the tale if there was no significance in Gandalf's death and ressurrection.

And really, if you think about it, the only real significant battle of power after Gandalf was ressurrected and became the White was when he broke Saruman's staff; other than that, there is little of note battle-wise that Tolkien remarks on regarding Gandalf (he almost fought the WitchKing of Angmar, almost fought the Chicken of Bristol and almost fought the Dragon of Angnor).