Cole Abate (born November 16, 2004) is an American submission grappler, and black belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) athlete. A competitor since early child years with multiple juvenile titles, Abate won, as a 16-year-old blue belt, the 2021 ADCC East Coast Trials.

Cole Abate
Born (2004-11-16) 16 November 2004 (age 20)
Beaumont, Texas, USA
StyleSubmission Grappling
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
TeamArt of Jiu Jitsu (AOJ)
TrainerGuilherme and Rafael Mendes
RankBJJ black belt[1]
Medal record
Representing  United States
Submission Grappling
ADCC North American Championships
Gold medal – first place 2021 Anaheim -66kg

Early life

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Cole Abate was born on 16 November 2004 in Beaumont, Texas, before his family settled in San Antonio. At the age of 5 he started Brazilian jiu-jitsu at a local gym.[2] In 2019 his family moved to Costa Mesa where Cole joined Art of Jiu Jitsu (AOJ), training under Guilherme and Rafael Mendes.[2]

Early grappling career

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Abate has been competing against adult athletes throughout his younger teenage years, first appearing on the preliminary card of Who's Number One: Gordon Ryan v Vagner Rocha on 26 March 2021. He was 15 years old at the time and defeated Ned Johnson by submission with a straight-ankle lock.[3] He returned to the promotion at Who's Number One: Craig Jones v Luiz Panza on 28 May 2021, where he submitted Bird Wiltse with a triangle-armbar.[4]

Abate was then invited to compete in the lightweight division of the Who's Number One Championships on 25 and 26 September 2021 against a bracket of adult competitors.[5] He defeated 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu black belt Geo Martinez in the opening round before losing in the semi-final to Gabriel Sousa.[6]

Abate won the 66 kg division of the ADCC North American East Coast Trials on 6 November 2021[7] despite being 16 years old and a blue belt in BJJ at the time.[8] He was promoted to purple belt by Guilherme and Rafael Mendes shortly after this.[9]

Abate competed at the 66 kg division of the 2022 ADCC World Championship,[10] losing in the opening round to Fabricio Andrey by judge's decision.[11] Abate was invited to return to Who's Number One to compete against Josh Cisneros on 11 November 2022.[12] Cisneros withdrew from the match and was replaced by Damien Anderson, who Abate defeated by unanimous decision.[13]

He then won the IBJJF European Championship in the purple belt lightweight on 25 January 2023, being promoted to brown belt on the podium.[14]

In his first competition at brown belt, Abate won both the gi and no gi divisions of the IBJJF Los Angeles Open on 11 and 12 March 2023.[15] Then on 23 March 2023, Abate won the Pan IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship in the adult brown belt 168 lb category, his first appearance at an IBJJF major at brown belt.[16][17]

Abate competed in the IBJJF Nashville Spring Open on 22 and 23 April 2023 where he won three gold medals in the lightweight gi division, the middleweight no gi division, and the no gi openweight division.[18] On 1 June 2023, Abate won gold in the lightweight brown belt division at the IBJJF World Championship 2023.[19] Abate then won the lightweight brown belt division at the IBJJF Asian Championship 2023 on July 9 and was promoted to black belt at the event.[1]

Black belt career

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Abate competed in his first black belt match at the Tough Roll Winter Grand Prix on June 29, 2023, submitting David Stoilescu with an armbar.[20] Abate then made his IBJJF black belt debut at the IBJJF Absolute Grand Prix on September 1, 2023 against Eduardo Granzotto.[21] He won the match on advantages.[22]

Abate was due to compete against Ethan Crelinsten at Who's Number One 24 on June 20, 2024.[23] He withdrew from the match on short notice and was replaced by Deandre Corbe.[24] Abate then competed against Sam McNally at Polaris 29 on September 7th, 2024.[25] He won the match by decision.[26]

Abate won two gold medals in the lightweight gi and no gi divisions at the IBJJF Atlanta Fall Open on September 22, 2024.[27] He then also won gold medals in the lightweight gi and no gi divisions of the IBJJF Sacramento Fall Open on September 29, 2024, beating Wellington ‘Megaton’ Dias in the process.[28] Abate then won a gold medal in the lightweight division of the IBJJF no gi Pan Championship 2024 on November 3, 2024.[29]

Abate then signed a contract to compete for ONE Championship from 2024 onwards.[30] He is due to make his promotional debut against Shinya Aoki at ONE Fight Night 26 on December 6, 2024.[31]

Competition achievements

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Main Achievements:[2]

Main Achievements (Colored Belts):[2]

  • IBJJF World Champion (2022 purple)
  • IBJJF American Nationals Champion(2022 purple)
  • 3rd place IBJJF Pan American Championship (2022 purple)

Main Achievements (Kids + Juvenile):[2]

  • IBJJF European Open Champion (2020)
  • IBJJF World Champion No-Gi (2021)
  • IBJJF Pan Champion No-Gi (2021[a])
  • IBJJF Pan Champion (2021)
  • IBJJF Pan Kids Champion (2016 / 2018 / 2019)
  • IBJJF American Nationals Kids Champion (2015 / 2016 / 2017 / 2018 / 2019)
  • 2nd place IBJJF Pan Kids Championship (2014)
  • 3rd place IBJJF Pan Kids Championship (2015 / 2017)

Notes

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  1. ^ Weight and Absolute

References

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  1. ^ a b Lindsey, Alex. "Cole Abate Promoted To BJJ Black Belt". Jitsmagazine. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Cole Abate". BJJ Heroes - Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Team History, Fighter Stats, Biographies and News. 1 September 2022.
  3. ^ "Who's Number One: Gordon Ryan v Vagner Rocha Full Results And Review". JitsMagazine. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  4. ^ "Who's Number One: Craig Jones v Luiz Panza Full Results And Review". JitsMagazine. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  5. ^ Jones, Phil. "Who's Number One Lightweight Championships Full Lineup Announced". JitsMagazine. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  6. ^ "WNO Championships Full Results And Review". JitsMagazine. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  7. ^ "ADCC North American East Coast Trials 2021 Full Results And Review". JitsMagazine. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  8. ^ Burne, Kathrine. "16 Year-Old Cole Abate Details How He Won ADCC Trials". JitsMagazine. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  9. ^ Lindsey, Alex. "Cole Abate Promoted To Purple Belt By The Mendes Brothers". JitsMagazine. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  10. ^ The Official Competitor List: Who's In For ADCC 2022 World Championship Hywel Teague, Flograppling, 14 September 2022
  11. ^ "ADCC 2022 Live Results, Play-by-play, Analysis, Highlights, More". JitsMagazine. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  12. ^ Lindsey, Alex. "Giancarlo Bodoni To Face Pedro Marinho For WNO Title". JitsMagazine. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  13. ^ "Who's Number One: Brianna Ste-Marie v Mayssa Bastos Full Results And Review". JitsMagazine. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  14. ^ Lindsey, Alex. "Cole Abate Promoted To Brown Belt After Winning IBJJF European Championship 2023". JitsMagazine. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  15. ^ "IBJJF Los Angeles Open 2023 Attracts Elite Grapplers". JitsMagazine. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  16. ^ Public Results IBJJF
  17. ^ Burne, Kathrine. "Cole Abate Dominates In First IBJJF Major At Brown Belt". JitsMagazine. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  18. ^ "Tons Of Action In IBJJF Nashville Spring Open 2023 Results". JitsMagazine. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  19. ^ Blackett, Todd. "Cole Abate Becomes Brown Belt World Champion". JitsMagazine. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  20. ^ Burne, Kathrine. "Cole Abate Wins Black Belt Debut At Tough Roll Winter Grand Prix 2023". Jitsmagazine. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  21. ^ Burne, Kathrine. "AOJ Stars To Compete In IBJJF Absolute Grand Prix 2023 Superfights". Jitsmagazine. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  22. ^ "IBJJF Absolute Grand Prix 2023 Full Results And Review". Jitsmagazine. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  23. ^ Blackett, Todd. "B-Team vs Art Of Jiu-Jitsu Matches Announced For WNO 24". Jitsmagazine. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  24. ^ "Who's Number One 24: Gordon Ryan vs Josh Saunders Full Results And Review". Jitsmagazine. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  25. ^ Jones, Phil. "Excellent Superfights Announced For Polaris 29". Jitsmagazine. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  26. ^ "Polaris 29 Full Results And Review". Jits Magazine. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  27. ^ "IBJJF Portland And Atlanta Fall Opens 2024 Featured Superb Brackets On Same Weekend". Jits Magazine. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  28. ^ "Veterans And Prodigies Clash At IBJJF Sacramento Fall Open 2024". Jits Magazine. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  29. ^ "IBJJF No Gi Pan Championship 2024 Full Results And Highlights". Jits Magazine. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  30. ^ Jones, Phil. "Cole Abate And Dante Leon Sign With ONE Championship". Jits Magazine. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  31. ^ Phillips, Sabrina. "Cole Abate To Face Shinya Aoki In Debut At ONE Fight Night 26". Jits Magazine. Retrieved 12 November 2024.