Another remarkable Zimbabwean making waves in the United States is none other than Themba Gorimbo, the UFC welterweight fighter. His endearing personality and reserved nature, combined with his story, serve as a testament to persistence and unwavering determination, reflecting a resolute “can-do” attitude without a hint of quitting. Recently, Themba’s story of having only $7.49 in his account went viral, igniting the internet and drawing the attention of unexpected individuals who would go on to become his supporters. The rest, as they say, is history. However, before delving into his current success, it’s important to grasp the true story of Themba and what has moulded him into the admirable warrior he is today.
Themba Gorimbo reflects on a tumultuous past, recounting a childhood marked by adversity and an adulthood equally challenging. In an interview with Thomas Gerbasi, the UFC Editorial Director, Themba recounts the horrors of being pursued by dogs while illegally mining for diamonds in Chiadzwa, Marange, Zimbabwe. He speaks of enduring scars that remain etched on his body and mind. Yet, in some profound way, he expresses gratitude for the pivotal night that forever altered his life.
The sixteen-year-old, hailing from Masvingo, Zimbabwe, had already experienced tragedy, having lost his mother at the age of nine and his father four years later. Bereft of a clear direction for his future, he embarked on a perilous and uncertain path. Growing up as an orphan, Themba, like many children in similar circumstances on the continent, had to find means to survive.
“We were not allowed to dig these diamonds, but we did it anyway,” Gorimbo recalls. “I was always a lucky guy, not just lucky, but I was taking risks to go to the deep areas where it’s dangerous and I always came out with diamonds. I had luck for diamonds.”
However, his luck eventually ran out when the authorities apprehended him. What could have been a routine arrest took a terrifying turn.
“They had German shepherds biting me,” Gorimbo recollects. “If you see my body, I’ve got dog marks all over my body where I was bitten by the dogs. That night probably changed me mentally as a person, changed everything because I got bitten by the dogs and I lost a lot of blood and I almost died. Luckily, I survived and I’m here to tell a story about it.”
His journey has been nothing short of remarkable. Now, at the age of 32, Gorimbo is a UFC welterweight, recently securing his first win in the promotion over Takashi Sato. Yet, the story doesn’t end there. After his victory gained widespread attention, Gorimbo revealed that he had a mere $7.49 in his bank account before his trip to Las Vegas. He auctioned off his fight kit, using the proceeds to fund the construction of a bush pump in his Zimbabwean village, providing clean water for its inhabitants. His actions even caught the attention of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson on Twitter.
“I want to be myself,” he asserts. “Even if people don’t like me or people like me, I’d rather be myself. Let me be cherished for being myself than to be fake.”
Gorimbo’s authenticity has garnered him admiration back home, although the origins of his selflessness remain inexplicable. It is simply an integral part of his character, one he embraces wholeheartedly. Despite occasionally feeling the sting of ingratitude, he remains dedicated to aiding those less fortunate. “It’s something I can’t explain,” he muses. “It’s just my nature, actually, as a person. And yeah, it comes back and bites me at times that I’ve tried to do so much for other people, but now I’m learning how to deal with it.”
A prominent figure in South Africa’s MMA scene, Gorimbo ventured into professional fighting in 2010, inspired by the film “Never Back Down.” By 2013, he had turned professional, and in February, he made his UFC debut, though he suffered a submission loss to AJ Fletcher. Undeterred, he intensified his efforts after collaborating with the MMA Masters crew in Florida, culminating in an impressive performance in his most significant bout to date. When questioned at the post-fight press conference about whether his confrontation with Sato was a make-or-break moment, he emphasized that he had endured more harrowing situations in his life. For him, the fight represented a quest for personal transformation, proving to the world that he is not defined by past setbacks but as a formidable contender and future champion.
“It was not do or die for me,” he clarifies. “I’ve been in worse situations in my life. I fight to change my life. So there was no do or die, even based on the situation that I was in where I didn’t have the money. It was more for me to just find that freedom, to get that result where I showed the world that I’m not what you saw in the last fight where I lost that fight.
I am a different person and I’m capable of becoming a champion and I will be a champion. So that was more important than anything.” For Gorimbo, it’s not about the money; it’s about winning. And he has every intention of achieving much more in the days ahead. “Money is not something that drives me,” he said. “For me, what drives me is setting goals and going after them, taking risks and taking chances and becoming what I know I’m destined to be. I will become a champion in 2024. That’s my goal. And yeah, I just put it out there. I will become a champion in the UFC by the end of 2024. I know this.”
