Alex Pereira has been told he is "jealous" of UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya ahead of the pair's third meeting.
Pereira, 35, will look to become a UFC champion in his fourth fight for the promotion when he faces former kickboxing rival Adesanya at UFC 281 on November 12. Pereira has already beaten Adesanya twice in kickboxing, winning a controversial decision in 2016 before knocking him out in their rematch the following year.
Adesanya signed with the UFC a year after his knockout loss to Pereira and hasn't competed in kickboxing since. The Nigerian-born New Zealander is unbeaten at middleweight and will attempt to continue his impressive reign at the weight class against Pereira in New York. MMA analyst Chael Sonnen thinks Pereira demanded a third fight against Adesanya because he envies what the UFC champion has achieved since ditching his kickboxing career.
