Who is Themba Gorimbo? All about the fighter who was gifted a house by Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson

themba
Themba Gorimbo [Image Courtesy: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images]

Themba Gorimbo is a man at the center of a tale of perseverance. The Zimbabwean fighter competes in the UFC welterweight division and trains out of MMA Masters, where he has become an acquaintance of former interim welterweight champion Colby Covington.

However, 'Chaos' isn't the only person with whom Themba Gorimbo has connected. In fact, the most prominent person he has developed ties to has almost nothing to do with the UFC, besides signing a multi-year deal to create co-branded footwork with the promotion. That man is Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson.

After the Zimbabwean spoke candidly about his financial struggles and life of hardship, he drew the attention of WWE legend and Hollywood superstar Dwayne Johnson. 'The Rock' reached out to Themba Gorimbo via Twitter, relating to his plight and expressing a desire to help.

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Based on recent media reports, it seems that Dwayne Johnson delivered on his promise, purchasing him a house in Miami. It was a kind gesture, but who exactly is the recipient? What is Gorimbo's story? The 32-year-old, who is currently 11-4, was born in Masvingo, Zimbabwe.

His life was one of extreme hardship, forcing him into a fight for survival when most children are still in school, as he lost his mother at the tender age of 9, and his father at the age of 13. While illegally digging for diamonds, he was arrested and mauled by police dogs and still carries scars from the attack.

While he nearly lost his life, the incident led to a profound change and he turned his life around. Years later, he is a UFC fighter and is coming off a win over Takashi Sato from UFC Fight Night 223.


What did Themba Gorimbo say about the Israel Adesanya-Dricus du Plessis beef?

Dricus du Plessis has not done himself any favors when it comes to establishing a good relationship with his fellow African fighters in the UFC. He infamously questioned the strength of the statement that in Israel Adesanya, Kamaru Usman and Francis Ngannou, the UFC had its first African champions.

Israel Adesanya issued a fiery response. Meanwhile, Themba Gorimbo was more measured, explaining that he understood where Dricus du Plessis was coming from with his claims, but that it was wrong, as it was a stance he once held.

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Edited by Tejas Rathi
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