Themba Gorimbo, the incredible story of the UFC Zimbabwean

4 mins

Themba Gorimbo has come a long way, and only he seems to know how far he can go. Fighting in the UFC, the Zimbabwean obtained his second victory in a row in the prestigious organization MMA, on the night of Saturday to Sunday, thanks to an impressive TKO inflicted on his opponent after 30 seconds. With a back arm to the face, he dried Pete Rodriguez, before forcing the referee to stop the damage after a rain of blows on the ground. The kind of “highlight” that fans of this sport are fond of.

Who would have thought the man could perform at this level? Except for himself, and perhaps his family, who follow him in his wanderings with his sights set on a career as a fighter. And more particularly his wife, who observes a period of fasting and prayer before her fights. With this resounding success, Gorimbo made people talk about him, enough to give a little credence to his ambitions of “ UFC belt », words that he repeats to each microphone handed to him.

Training camp on a sofa

The goal still seems distant, but much less far away than a year ago. “The Solution”, that’s his nickname, then recorded his first defeat in the UFC for his first appearance in the organization. In a more than precarious situation, he was immediately evicted from the accommodation he occupied with his wife and children. Far from giving up, he collects his last funds six weeks before a second chance in the octagon, buys himself a ticket to Miami and leaves his family behind in South Africa. He sets down his bags in April 2023 at MMA Masters, a prestigious training hall in the city, to start a training camp.

“ The coach told me that there were no more rooms available. I answered him :’coach, I can sleep on the tatami, I don’t care. I want to get out of it’ […]. He thought I was joking », recalled Gorimbo. Instead of tatami, he had a sofa, which he unfolded every night to sleep on. And in which he wanted to continue spending his nights, even after the fact, in order to “ stay humble “.

Choices and sacrifices paid off since in May, he won his first victory on American soil. “ It was a bit of success or death ? », a journalist then addressed to him at a press conference. “ I almost died when I was 16 in the diamond mines. I saw people die in front of me. So it was all nothing », replied the fighter, between two sips of energy drink.

So what does a man who only had $7 in his bank account with his victory bonus decide? First buy a plane ticket to reunite with his family, and his daughter to whom he promised “ a bag of Cheetos”. But above all, he decides to auction off his combat kit to raise funds to build a well in his home village in Zimbabwe. And this even though he still did not have a bed in Miami to continue to progress, chase his dreams and fill his children’s plates.

A sense of sharing that has touched more than one, including a certain Dwayne Johnson, also known as “The Rock”. The former wrestler, now an actor, wanted to make his contribution to the building that Gorimbo wishes to build. In August 2023, he surprised him in the middle of an interview in his training room in order to offer him… a house in Florida. So he can bring his family there and train there all year round.

In tears, the Zimbabwean had difficulty finding his words. What better way to say thank you than a promise to become champion one day? With his last fight, a message was sent. Not yet loud enough to reach the ears of the UFC welterweight big names. But surely strong enough to exist. Themba Gorimbo hits hard and has a story, the Americans love it.