FILE - In this May 5, 1969, file photo, Los Angeles Lakers' Wilt Chamberlain tries to shoot against Boston Celtics' Bill Russell during an NBA basketball finals game at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif. Chamberlain and Russell went head-to-head 142 times over a decade from 1959-1969. Russells Boston Celtics beat Chamberlains teams 85 games. Chamberlain shattered records. Russell collected championship banners, winning nine to Chamberlains one. (AP Photo/File)Tom Brady has more championship rings.
Peyton Manning has nearly all the passing records.
Fans always will debate which quarterback is better, but there's no arguing their head-to-head meetings make for one of the greatest rivalries in sports history - so it's fitting a Super Bowl berth is at stake in Brady-Manning 17, today's AFC championship game.
Brady and the New England Patriots are trying to repeat and earn their fifth NFL title. Manning and the Denver Broncos are aiming for the franchise's first NFL title in 16 years and his second after previously winning with the Indianapolis Colts.
Brady won the first six meetings and leads the overall series 11-5. They're tied 2-2 in the playoffs, with Manning winning the past two, including the AFC title matchup two years ago.
Here's a look at some of the best individual rivalries in other sports:
Baseball: Dimaggio-Williams
Joltin' Joe vs. The Splendid Splinter. Yankees-Red Sox had to make the baseball list. Ted Williams remains the last player to hit better than .400, but his tremendous 1941 season was overshadowed by Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak. Williams won two AL MVP awards and two triple crowns as the league leader in average, home runs and RBIs, but no World Series titles. DiMaggio was a three-time MVP who won nine World Series championships with New York. Honorable mention: Willie Mays vs. Mickey Mantle.
Basketball: Chamberlain-Russell
Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell went head-to-head 142 times from 1959 to 1969. Russell's Boston Celtics beat Chamberlain's teams 85 times. Chamberlain shattered records. Russell collected championship banners, winning nine to Chamberlain's one. Honorable mention: Larry Bird vs. Magic Johnson.
Boxing: Ali-Frazier
Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier faced off three times, including two of the most famous fights in history. Frazier defended his heavyweight championship with a unanimous decision over Ali in 1971 at Madison Square Garden in the "Fight of the Century." Ali won the rematch by decision in 1974. Then came "The Thrilla in Manila" in 1975. Ali won on a TKO after 14 rounds. Honorable mentions: Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Roberto Duran; Sugar Ray Robinson vs. Jake LaMotta.
Golf: Nicklaus-Palmer
Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer turned golf into a popular spectator sport on television. Nicklaus holds the record with 18 majors, while Palmer captured seven in his career. They finished 1-2 four times in majors. Honorable mention: Tiger Woods vs. Phil Mickelson.
Hockey: Gretzky-Lemieux
The Great One vs. The Magnificent One. Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux dominated the NHL for two decades, with one of the two players winning the scoring title every year between 1980 and 1997, save one season. They never faced each other in the playoffs, however. Honorable mention: Sidney Crosby vs. Alex Ovechkin.
Socccer: Messi-Ronaldo
The two best soccer players in the world compete in the same league for two powerhouse teams. Since the Ballon d'Or was first awarded to the world's top player in 2010, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the only men to win it - Messi from 2010 to 2012 and in 2015; Ronaldo in 2013 and 2014. In 2008, Ronaldo won the FIFA player of the year award, which Messi won in 2009. Messi's FC Barcelona won the UEFA championship last season, but Ronaldo's Real Madrid has not won the Spanish league since 2012, giving Messi some recent bragging rights. Internationally, Messi and Argentina lost to Germany in the finals of the World Cup, while Portugal and Ronaldo failed to get out of the group stage. Honorable mention: Thierry Henry vs. Ruud Van Nistelrooy.
Tennis: Federer-Nadal
Roger Federer has a 17-14 edge over Rafael Nadal in career Grand Slam victories, but the head-to-head rivalry is one-sided. Nadal leads the series 23-11, including a 9-2 record in Grand Slams. Nadal's victory in the 2008 Wimbledon final is considered one of the best tennis matches in history. Both men also have long rivalries with Novak Djokovic, the game's current dominant star. Honorable mention: Chris Evert vs. Martina Navratilova; John McEnroe vs. Bjorn Borg.