Antony Chawagarira
Bikita-born Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight fighter Themba Gorimbo has announced his retirement from mixed martial arts, bringing an end to a remarkable journey from rural Zimbabwe to the world’s biggest Mixed Martial Arts promotion.
The 35-year-old fighter made the emotional announcement on social media following his third consecutive defeat inside the UFC octagon.“Thank you to UFC and everyone. I dared to be someone and something and failed,” Gorimbo wrote on Instagram.“Gave all I can in the sport and I am walking away from the sport. My dream was to be a UFC champion and if I cannot be that I am going to walk away from the sport. It’s not easy but I’ve tried.”
Gorimbo added that he may one day return to the sport as a coach or manager, but said his immediate focus is now on his family.The Zimbabwean fighter retires with a professional MMA record of 14 wins and seven losses, including a 4-4 run in the UFC.Gorimbo joined the UFC in 2023 and quickly became one of Zimbabwe’s most talked-about sporting figures after revealing he had only US$7 in his bank account before one of his early fights.
Despite his financial struggles at the time, Gorimbo won admiration after pledging to auction his fight gear to help fund a borehole project in Zimbabwe.His story later caught the attention of Hollywood superstar and WWE legend Dwayne Johnson, popularly known as “The Rock”, who surprised him with a house in Florida after learning he had been sleeping in a gym.
The friendship with Johnson elevated Gorimbo’s profile globally and inspired many Zimbabweans who saw him as a symbol of perseverance and determination.Inside the octagon, Gorimbo went on an impressive four-fight winning streak before his momentum stalled following defeats to Vicente Luque and Jonathan Micallef among others.His retirement also comes months after he sparked fierce debate in Zimbabwe following controversial remarks during an interview with CNN journalist Larry Madowo, where he claimed he received little support from Zimbabweans during his rise to the UFC.
The comments divided public opinion, with some accusing him of dismissing support from fans back home, while others defended him and argued that his frustrations reflected deeper personal struggles and pressures faced by many successful Africans abroad.While reactions to his statements remained mixed, many Zimbabweans continued to acknowledge Gorimbo’s inspiring rise from poverty in Bikita to competing on the global UFC stage.
With his fighting career now officially over, Gorimbo leaves behind a story marked by hardship, resilience, controversy and determination — one that made him one of Zimbabwe’s most recognisable figures in international combat sports.
