Forget Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier and Venus vs. Serena — The Challenge has engineered a battle for the ages, and in the case of Darrell vs. Bananas, only one will make it out alive.

On tonight’s Invasion episode, the six remaining members of the Champions team confronted the unsettling fact that only one male member and one female member would be spared from the looming elimination round. And after a decisive Underdogs win in “Fallout,” which challenged players to hang on to a seesawing, slippery platform for as long as possible, it was CT and Camila who earned safety, meaning Bananas and Darrell — the two most successful players in the game’s history — had no choice but to go to war.

“I’ve gone up against some heavy hitters, but Darrell is the full package,” Bananas said. “He’s very smart, he’s got a ton of stamina and he’s strong as a bull. This is gonna be my toughest test yet.”

And Darrell shared a similar — if slightly more confident — sentiment.

“It’s pretty evenly matched between me and Bananas, but I think I’m a little hungrier,” he said. “He’s been doing these so much, you kind of lose that hunger. I’ve been gone for awhile, and I came back to compete and win.”

The guys — who shared 10 collective wins across a pair of storied careers — seemed evenly matched as they approached the coming game, and fellow players struggled to toss out decisive bets. Still, one thing was for sure: the Invasion house was in for a show, and they were excited to get their hands on some popcorn and watch.

“Bananas and Darrell going in: The two best Challenge champions in the history of all The Challenges,” CT said. “This is gonna be one for the books.”

At “Balls In,” an elimination-round throwback to “Free Agents,” TJ told Bananas and Darrell they’d take turns trying to sink a ball into a barrel in the middle of a ring — all the while, their opponent would have to do whatever it took to keep the ball out. And after a couple of Coliseum-worthy early rounds, Darrell took the lead. He chalked up his success to a strategy of charging Bananas as frequently as possible and breaking his confidence.

“Whether he’s on offense or defense, Darrell’s always hitting Bananas,” CT observed from the sidelines.

Bananas, on the other hand, said his plan was to keep Darrell on his toes by experimenting with rhythm and timing.

“They’re both putting up a fight, but I don’t think Bananas has ever been tested like this,” Amanda said as she watched.

Now, it’s do or die for Bananas — should he sink the next basket, he’ll stay alive. If not, he’s dead in the water, and will leave the door wide open for Darrell to potentially earn a fifth Challenge win.

So which way will this Fortress match go, and which decorated Champion will advance? Share your thoughts, place your bets and be sure to tune in to a brand-new Invasion episode next Tuesday at 9/8c!