Eilai Brazili is unbeaten in seven professional fights and about to headline in his own country for the first time — but the build-up to Monday's bout at the Menora Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv has been dominated not by the fight itself, but by his opponent's scales.
Speaking to ONE ahead of the card, the Israeli fighter said Brazilian opponent Lucas Almeida arrived in the country roughly 15 kilograms over the agreed fight weight. "This is the greatest disrespect there is — you show up 15 kilos over the permitted weight," Brazili said, adding that he still expected Almeida to have a significant amount left to cut before fight night.
"He's exploiting my willingness to fight in order to gain an advantage," Brazili told the outlet, framing the weight discrepancy as a deliberate ploy rather than a simple miscalculation. He said the situation was disrespectful both to him personally and to the Israeli fans who bought tickets to see a fair contest.
Brazili didn't hide his confidence about how he expects the fight itself to unfold, predicting that Almeida's weight-cutting troubles will catch up with him in the cage. "He'll pay a heavy price for this — I'll tire him out and finish him in the first round," he said.
The bout is part of a 14-fight card organized by the Gordon brothers, with organizers expecting a crowd of more than 10,000 at the arena — a notable scale for an MMA event on Israeli soil and, according to ONE, the biggest stage of Brazili's career to date as he headlines at home for the first time.
Brazili will have elite company in his corner. Jean Silva, currently ranked sixth in the UFC's featherweight division and Brazili's training partner at the Fighting Nerds gym in Brazil, is traveling to Israel to work his corner for the fight. Silva has previously spoken about his affection for Israel and its people, and his presence carries extra weight given he is making the trip during what ONE and Sport5 both describe as a sensitive security period.
Away from the build-up talk, Brazili also touched on a personal moment: a meeting with actor and singer Idan Amedi, the "Fauda" star and IDF reservist who was seriously wounded during reserve duty in Gaza. "Yes, we met — he's inspiring," Brazili said of the encounter.
Lucas Almeida, a Brazilian fighter with UFC experience, has not yet publicly responded to Brazili's comments. ONE's report reflects Brazili's account of the weigh-in situation; the final numbers will only be confirmed at the official weigh-ins closer to fight night.
