BJJ phenom Cole Abate is set to make his highly anticipated ONE Championship debut, and grappling enthusiasts around the globe are buzzing with excitement.
On December 6 in U.S. primetime, the 19-year-old will square off with former ONE Lightweight MMA World Champion and grappling icon Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki in a lightweight submission grappling clash at ONE Fight Night 26: Lee vs. Rasulov on Prime Video.
Long hailed as the brightest young talent in all of BJJ, the American sensation is hoping to make immediate waves on the global stage of martial arts.
Before he locks horns with Aoki at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, we look at five key facts about the rising star.
#1 He Started BJJ At 5 Years Old
Born in Beaumont, Texas, the young grappler has been training in jiu-jitsu for nearly 15 years.
While Abate always showed a precocious aptitude for sports and competition, BJJ has been his passion ever since he discovered the art at the age of 5.
He spent his early years in the sport learning, training, and competing under the careful guidance of decorated black belt and renowned coach Rodrigo Pinheiro, laying the foundation for his remarkable rise.
#2 He Enjoyed An Absurd Juvenile And Colored Belt Career
Abate boasts one of the most impressive juvenile and colored belt resumes ever seen in BJJ.
Much like current ONE Submission Grappling World Champions Kade Ruotolo and Tye Ruotolo, his childhood was filled with gold medal performances at practically every major tournament.
He was a Juvenile World, European, Pan-American, and American National Champion, as well as a Purple Belt World Champion.
Those performances cemented Abate as one of the most hyped prospects in recent memory.
#3 He Trains With The Best At Art Of Jiu-Jitsu Academy
In 2019, Abate and his family relocated to California so that he could train full-time at the famed Art of Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Costa Mesa under legendary competitors Guilherme and Rafa Mendes.
Widely recognized as the top BJJ gym on the planet, AoJ is home to countless World Champions and elite grapplers, including reigning ONE Women’s Atomweight Submission Grappling World Champion Mayssa Bastos.
Abate is more than just a student at the renowned academy. In between his intense training sessions, he also heads up the AoJ no-gi program, designing and implementing a curriculum that has elevated the school’s reputation even further.
#4 He’s The Youngest ADCC Trials Winner In History
In 2021, when he was just 16 years old, Abate defeated seven elite competitors over the course of two days to become the youngest-ever athlete to win the ultra-tough ADCC Trials.
Even though he already boasted victories over a number of top black belts, that performance at the ADCC North American Trials erased any doubts that Abate belonged among the sport’s best.
The career-defining accomplishment sent a message to the rest of the submission grappling world: Abate was no longer a prospect; he had fully arrived.
#5 He Owns Victories Over Established Black Belts
The teen’s impressive record is populated with wins over experienced and respected black belt veterans – and many of them came long before he was promoted to black belt in July 2023.
Abate’s breakout win came in September 2021 when he defeated decorated 10th Planet representative Geo “Freakazoid” Martinez.
Shortly after that, at the 2021 ADCC North American Trials, he took out top names like IBJJF Black Belt World Champion Estevan “Giant Slayer” Martinez, as well as ADCC Trials winners Deandre Corbe and Keith Krikorian.
Abate will now look to add to his murderers’ row of victims when he battles a true icon in Aoki at ONE Fight Night 26.
