Cole Abate was born in San Antonio, Texas and began training Jiu Jitsu at five years old, before moving to California to train at AOJ as a green belt. From an early age, he immersed himself in the sport’s Brazilian culture, learning to speak the Portuguese language fluently. As a juvenile blue belt, Cole became known as one of the most technical and disciplined young athletes of his generation, winning the ADCC North American Trials and defeating black belts in super fight events. He won the IBJJF World Championships at every colored belt, building a reputation for precision, timing, and composure far beyond his age. He earned his black belt in July 2023 at the Asian Open in Japan, and in 2024 captured both the NOGI Pan and NOGI World Championships in the featherweight division, establishing himself as one of the sport’s brightest emerging talents.