Israel Adesanya admits his next career move is partly aimed at sticking it to archrival Jon Jones.
In 2021, the UFC middleweight champion will move up a division to challenge for the light-heavyweight belt, held by Jan Blachowicz.
The power-punching Pole won the strap at UFC 253, stopping American Dominic Reyes, months after Jones vacated the title to focus on his transition to heavyweight.
On the same night, Adesanya brutalised Brazilian Paolo Costa to defend his title for the second time, extending his undefeated mixed martial arts record to 20-0.
With the contender pool light in both divisions, UFC president Dana White has confirmed Adesanya and Blachowicz will meet inside the Octagon next year.
History beckons for the 31-year-old, if he can snatch the crown. The Kiwi-Nigerian would be the first to reign over middleweight and light-heavyweight divisions concurrently, joining a shortlist of champions in two different weight classes.
Victory would also send a message to Jones, who dominated the 205lb (93kg) division for a decade.
"I realise I’m about to do something, literally in three years, that Jones hasn’t even done in over how long in the company?” Adesanya tells Submission Radio. "Over 10 years?
"And we’re still waiting to see if he’s actually gonna do it. It’s crazy how everything’s just set up.
"It’s just a big f*** you to him, just to be like, 'I did something you couldn’t'.
"I mean, he cleared the division of light-heavyweight twice over and then started fighting recycled middleweights.
"So don’t come at me talking about 'move up in weight and fight me', when you can't even do the same thing after over 10 years in the company.
"I'm actually about to do it. It’s a good fight for me to do it with."
Adesanya has maintained his ambition to create the greatest legacy in MMA history and that includes adding Jones to his hitlist. The City Kickboxing star has circled 2021 as a date for that superfight and taking on Jones at heavyweight is now part of that plan.
The two combat sports superstars have been at each other for the last two years, trading verbal and social media jabs at will.
Adesanya is convinced Jones' motives for raining on his success are based purely on jealousy.
"It’s fun and games, anyway. We’re gonna fight.
"Right now, I’m focused on Jan, that’s my main thing. I don’t like dealing with f***ing f***ers like that anyway, because he’s a clout trout.
"He sees what’s happening with me and I've said this for so long, people can’t fathom why he'd be jealous of me, so they just think I'm lying.
"But I’m like, 'no, I can read it, it’s envy'. It’s so easy to see when you know.
"[When] I take this belt from Jan, if for whatever reason Jones actually moves up and fights at heavyweight, imagine if he got the belt somehow, by some freak of nature, and I’m like, f*** you, I’m going to heavyweight then."
