Outside Source
Surprising fans and media with a sudden announcement on Thursday, UFC welterweight Themba Gorimbo (14-7) has decided to hang up his gloves. The Zimbabwe-born Gorimbo last competed mere weeks ago, dropping a split call to Jonathan Micallef to lose his third straight. Posting on Instagram giving his thanks to supporters and farewell to the sport, Gorimbo declared that if he could not be a champion, he would not continue.
Gorimbo made waves in the community by declaring after his first UFC victory—a decision over Takashi Sato in 2023—that he was flat broke, with a mere $7.49 in his bank account. This garnered the attention of pro wrestling superstar-turned-actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who explained that hearing Gorimbo’s story reminded him of his own difficulties coming up as an athlete, right down to seven-dollar similarity. Johnson surprised Gorimbo by purchasing him a house in Miami, which allowed Gorimbo to sleep somewhere other than his gym of MMA Masters.
It’s not easy but I’ve tried
In his post on Instagram, Gorimbo provided an image of his last defeat, while explaining his decision to call it a day in active competition.
“Thank you to [the] UFC and everyone,” Gorimbo wrote. “I dared to be someone and something and failed. 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.”
He continued, not entirely closing the door on MMA as a whole, “Maybe I will make a comeback as a coach or manager someday but for now the focus will be my family. Thank you to everyone I’ve met on the journey and everyone who has helped me along the journey. I am officially retired as from MMA as an athlete. Thank you all.”
His self-proclaimed focus on family is a shift from statements he made in January where he explained that he does not have any contact with any family members in his home country. He expressed that it was not simply that he ignored them, but intentionally cut them out of his life to the point of blocking their phone numbers and communications.
The welterweight did plenty of good while a UFC fighter, as he helped dig and build water wells in his home city of Bikita. He attempted to build a library as well, but later alleged that corruption in the local government resulted in its collapse.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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