Themba Gorrimbo is a UFC fighter originally from Zimbabwe. He recently sat down for an interview where he recounted his emotional surprise encounter with actor and former wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Gorrimbo explained how he came to the United States with just $7 in his pocket, struggling to make ends meet as an up-and-coming MMA fighter. He would even resort to sleeping on a couch at his gym due to lack of funds. The Rock resonated with this story, as he too only had limited means when he first started out years ago.
In July 2023, Gorrimbo was brought in under the guise of a video interview and photo shoot. Unbeknownst to him, The Rock was waiting behind the scenes. “They kind of lied to me then. They they they say to me, they is an interview with the people from The Rock. And they wanna interview you,” Gorrimbo recalled.
When he turned around mid-interview, he was stunned to see his idol Johnson standing there.
Gorrimbo emotionally recounted the surge of feelings in that surprising moment. “It goes a little bit tough. It is tough because you know it. I didn’t expect him to be there firstly, but also, like, you know, it’s just like your brother.”
But the surprises didn’t end there. Thanks to Johnson’s generosity, Gorrimbo was gifted a fully furnished home so he no longer had to sleep at the gym. “It’s crazy how this life works, my brother. It’s it’s super crazy. Yeah. I I didn’t expect that,” he remarked.
Gorrimbo made it clear how grateful he was for Johnson’s support, which has motivated him to work even harder toward his dreams. The two still keep in contact today. As Gorrimbo prepares for his next big UFC fight, he continues to pay forward the good fortune he has received.
Gorrimbo opened up about his initiatives to give back to his home country.
“Those things that I do big in my country, you know, it’s just things that come with with with moments and times,” Gorrimbo explained. Whether it’s providing clean drinking water or restoring people’s eyesight, he is determined to use his platform to enact real change back home.
Gorrimbo recalled how visiting his village made him realize the hardships still faced today. Seeing elderly residents struggling with cataracts that could easily be treated if only they had the means inspired his mission to provide eye surgeries to those in need.
The star has also made it a priority to help improve access to education in rural areas. “The next thing that I’m doing this one, I’ll probably do the bot online wanna build the library in my village with a small panel so that the kids in my village can be able in the surrounding villages can be able to study at night after school,” he shared.
While Themba Gorrimbo is now known to UFC fans as a rising athlete not to be overlooked, he has not let his newfound fame override his commitment to being a positive force back in Zimbabwe.