Cole Abate credits parents and coaches for helping him overcome devastating injury: "I think I had a really good mindset"
ONE Championship newcomer and Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) sensation Cole Abate greatly appreciates the support he received from his parents and coaches after suffering a broken tibia in late 2023.
Speaking with ONE, 'Ice' discussed how instrumental the people closest to him were during his recovery:
"I think I had a really good mindset about it after the first few days post-surgery, and I credit a lot of that to both my parents and my professor. They told me that this should be treated just like any competition. It should be treated with the same mindset."
He continued:
"Imagine you're getting ready for the biggest tournament of your life, and everything you do revolves around that one goal. And your goal is to get back to 100 percent and pretend like nothing ever happened."
Abate shocked the BJJ world when he finished first in the 2021 ADCC East Coast Trials as a 16-year-old blue belter. On Nov. 3, he captured the gold medal in the featherweight division of the 2024 IBJJF No-Gi Pan Championship.
The 20-year-old takes on former lightweight MMA king Shinya Aoki in his promotional debut at ONE Fight Night 26 on Dec. 6, inside the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
ONE Fight Night 26 will air live and free to all Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.
Cole Abate headlines ONE's latest marquee signings
Cole Abate is not the only BJJ standout to have joined ONE's submission grappling ranks. Canadian talent Dante Leon and Brazilian legend Marcelo Garcia both recently signed with the promotion.
A five-time IBJJF world champion, Garcia has not competed since retiring in 2011. After overcoming a stomach cancer diagnosis in 2023, the 41-year-old is ready to ply his craft once more.
Meanwhile, Leon's eye-catching athleticism and technical prowess are set to make him one of the most must-see submission grapplers under the ONE banner.