Gui Mendes has addressed speculation surrounding training partners Cole Abate and Diego “Pato” Oliveira’s decision to close out their division at the recent IBJJF Pan Championships, offering strategic insight into what many fans viewed as a controversial choice.
The closeout decision sparked immediate debate within the jiu-jitsu community, with some fans speculating that a training injury – specifically rumors that Pato had cracked Cole’s shin during a foot lock attempt – was behind the teammates’ reluctance to face each other in competition. Mendes’ explanation, however, points to a more calculated long-term strategy for his athletes.
“Pato is the current light featherweight world champion,” Mendes explained. “He had competitions outside the IBJJF circuit in a higher weight category and decided not to cut for the first two grand slam competitions.”
According to Mendes, Cole Abate, who is currently cutting to featherweight while competing in his first official season, came into the tournament with significant momentum after winning NOGI Worlds in December. Both athletes demonstrated their elite-level skills by defeating black belt world champions en route to the finals, with Cole besting Samuel Nagai and Pato eliminating Isaac Doederlin.
Rather than having his athletes face off in the finals, Mendes revealed that the team collectively decided the matchup wasn’t worth potentially hampering their training dynamic. “Together as a team we sat down and decided it was not worth to fight in the finals of this competition,” Mendes wrote. “They are great training for each other and I want them to continue to push each other in training without holding back because of a possible match up in competitions.”
Mendes outlined an ambitious goal for the Art of Jiu Jitsu (AOJ) team: “The goal is to compete in different divisions at Worlds to win 2 world titles.” This strategic approach suggests the team is prioritizing IBJJF World Championship success over Pan American titles, with Mendes likely eyeing the possibility of having both Abate and Pato crowned as world champions in their respective weight classes later this year.
The decision to close out divisions – where teammates who reach the finals agree not to compete against each other – remains controversial in jiu-jitsu. Critics argue it denies fans the opportunity to see the true best competitor crowned and diminishes the competitive integrity of tournaments. Supporters contend that daily training partners already know their competitive hierarchy and that risking injury or creating team tension isn’t worth a medal placement that’s ultimately secondary to their training relationship.
The closeout approach stands in stark contrast to other combat sports, particularly collegiate wrestling, where competition between teammates – and even family members – is the norm. In a dramatic example from this year’s NCAA tournament, two brothers competed against each other in the second round, with the younger sibling defeating his senior brother and effectively ending the latter’s college wrestling career.
The different approaches highlight the unique team dynamics within jiu-jitsu, where training partners often develop game plans specifically tailored to each other’s strengths and weaknesses. For Mendes and his AOJ team, the strategic decision to avoid an Abate-Pato showdown appears focused on the bigger picture: maintaining optimal training conditions and maximizing their chances at multiple world titles.
