is embracing the unique challenge ahead of him at .
On December 6 in U.S. primetime, the 20-year-old Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu prodigy will make his hotly anticipated promotional debut against Japanese martial arts icon in a 10-minute lightweight submission grappling bout at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Now one of the planet바카라s top BJJ black belts, Abate enjoyed as a teenager on his rise through the ranks. Understandably, his debut on the global stage comes with no shortage of fanfare and lofty expectations.
The Art of Jiu-Jitsu product isn바카라t buying too much into his hype, though, and is instead focused on the task ahead of him.
He knows that Aoki 바카라 the man who invented the famed 바카라Aoki Lock바카라 바카라 is a legendary figure in both the MMA and grappling communities and will pose a serious threat.
Abate spoke to about why he바카라s excited to face 바카라Tobikan Judan바카라:
바카라To be able to fight him in Asia where he바카라s got a lot of fans, where he바카라s known as a legend, where he literally has techniques named after him that you only find out that, 바카라Oh, hey, the Aoki Lock isn바카라t just the Aoki Lock. There바카라s actually a guy behind it.'바카라
A consummate student of the game who has been training in BJJ since he was 5 years old, 바카라Ice바카라 Cole has carefully studied his foe and feels prepared to defend and counter his trademark submission 바카라 a modified ankle lock that twists the knee in a similar fashion to a heel hook.
Abate insists he doesn바카라t fear the Aoki Lock. Quite the opposite, he바카라s looking forward to exchanging leg locks if the opportunity presents itself:
바카라Knowing that there바카라s a submission named after the guy, you know exactly what to avoid. That should be fun. I like leg attacks as well. So if we do get into an exchange where we바카라re both looking to finish each other, it바카라ll be cool getting to share the mat with somebody that has their own submission named after them.
바카라I think that if we do get into an exchange where we바카라re both trying to finish on the legs, that바카라s something that I wouldn바카라t be afraid of, and I think would actually be interesting to get to feel his attacks.바카라
Indeed, the American is a talented leg locker in his own right.
He바카라ll come into the contest fresh off a gold medal performance at the IBJJF No-Gi Pan-American Championships that saw him collect an inside heel hook finish en route to the top of the podium.
Ultimately, though, Abate believes that his greatest asset is his versatility and his ability to attack from any and all positions:
바카라I have a very complete style. So if I do need to go on top, if I do need to focus more on passing, back takes, sweeping, I feel like I can pivot midway through a match pretty well.
바카라I바카라ve had to do that before, and I feel like the more I compete, the more I바카라m learning to do that.바카라
Abate Embraces The Pressure Of His ONE Debut
Cole Abate has long been hailed as the most talented young rising star in all of BJJ 바카라 a true phenom destined to become one of the all-time greats.
Given those expectations, it바카라s no surprise that he바카라ll feel his fair share of nerves when he makes his global debut against Shinya Aoki at ONE Fight Night 26.
Wise beyond his years, 바카라Ice바카라 Cole said that he doesn바카라t shy away from those pre-match jitters:
바카라I think nervous is good. You get nervous before every time you compete. But it gets to a certain point where you feel like you need those nerves.
바카라And if I go into a match and I don바카라t have those nerves, then it feels a little off. You wanna have that. That makes you feel more excited going into a match like that, and I believe that that바카라s when I perform at my best.바카라
Even though he바카라s likely considered the favorite against the Japanese veteran, Abate still feels like an underdog 바카라 like a child competing against an adult.
It바카라s that inner mindset, he added, that fuels him to compete at his best when the lights are brightest.
바카라Now is your chance to shine. Would you rather shy away and be this guy바카라s stepping stone? Or would you rather make him the stepping stone and just keep going forward and getting closer to the goals that you바카라ve set?
바카라That바카라s kinda always the mindset whenever I know I바카라m going against somebody that has more experience or has a different colored belt around their waist. Of course, I바카라m the black belt now, but I still feel like I have that underdog mentality in me, of being the lower belt or being the young kid coming up.바카라
