Step right up, ladies and gents. Get ready for the bout of the century! Well, at least of the summer.

In the platinum corner, wearing red trunks and a matching Los Angeles Dodgers cap, he stands more than 6 feet, 3 inches tall, he boasts several knockouts on the mixtape circuit via ferocious freestyles, and he represents Compton. Everyone, the Cali Kilimanjaro himself: the Game.

Oh, it's on. Bow Wow and Game have set a date for [article id="1593173"]their $100,000 "Madden NFL 09" face-off[/article]. It is set to take place Friday in a secret location in California. Talking to the two MCs, you get the impression that $100K is the least of their worries: It's all about pride and bragging rights.

"I think we better end it on that note, 'cause Bow Wow, he already knows what's up," Game boasted last week in New York while visiting the MTV News offices. "He knows. As soon as I can sit down next to him, pick up a controller and stare at an HD screen, I will beat the sh-- out of him. I will definitely kick Bow Wow's ass. His name will be 'Lil Puppy.' It won't even 'Lil Bow Wow.' It'll be 'Lil Meow' after I'm done with him."

More than seven years ago, Game almost died when gunmen shot him. He was playing "Madden" at the time.

"That's where I feel like he's playing a game," Game said. "And he don't know how serious this is. And currently, www.EASports.com, you can go wherever you want on the Web and search: I'm #1 in the world. You go see my gaming tag 'LAX.' It's there. I can't be beat. Period. I will not lose at 'Madden 09.' "

[Hip-hop editor's note: According to our resident video game expert, Stephen Totilo, Game is almost as good as he says. He has a record of 171-30, with five games in the Did Not Finish column. That makes him the #6 player in the world.]

Bow Wow took his trash-talking a step higher. He just released a freestyle online called "Madden King," on which he rhymes over the beat for Game's "Dope Boys."

"I seen you talking sh-- up on your YouTube/ Do you know what you got yourself into?/ ... We can go Bentley for Bentley, chain for chain/ We can go girl for girl, Jermaine for Dre/ You don't want none of the dog, I'm outta your league."

Bow said he decided to drop the freestyle because he wasn't doing anymore blogs on it for now. While the Game has yet to respond musically, you can almost guarantee a retort freestyle within the next couple of days. These guys actually like each other, but no one will be friendly until the better man is crowned video game victor.

Check out the Multiplayer blog, updated daily, for even more gaming coverage.