Themba Gorimbo’s path to the UFC might never have happened if it wasn’t for one movie – Never Back Down. In a recent interview, Gorimbo admitted that before watching the film, he didn’t even know fighting was a real sport.
Watching the movie opened his eyes to the world of MMA, sparking a passion that would eventually lead him to the octagon. Gorimbo says if he hadn’t stumbled across Never Back Down, he’d probably be working as a security guard or painter in South Africa today. Instead, he’s living out his dream as a UFC fighter – all thanks to a movie night.
‘The Answer’ recently appeared on The Pivot Podcast where he opened up about his unusual journey into the world of MMA. He explained how a movie made him realise that fighting is a sport and from there, as they say, the rest is history. The 33-year-old explained the importance of the movie ‘Never Back Down’ in his life by saying –
“Yeah, I watched the movie and I did not know fighting was actually a sport and that you could actually have a sport called fighting. I realised that okay this is a sport and about MMA. Then I started doing MMA.
“It was a blessing to have watched that movie because if I did not watch that movie, I would probably not be here. Probably still be doing gardening in South Africa, working as a security guard, a painter.”
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Themba Gorimbo made his UFC debut in February 2023, facing AJ Fletcher but unfortunately lost via submission. He rebounded impressively with a unanimous decision win over Takashi Sato in May 2023.
Gorimbo’s UFC record stands at 4 wins and single loss, which recently happened at UFC 310 against Vicente Luque. His journey from Zimbabwe to the UFC highlights his resilience and determination in the sport.
MMA changed Gorimbo’s life and helped him escape poverty. However, he wants to distance his kids from the sport due to recent incidents.
Gorimbo explains why he does not want his kids to attend his fights
Gorimbo fights for his family, but he’s not keen on having them ringside. After his win over Niko Price, Gorimbo was left rattled – not by the fight, but by hearing Price’s kids cheering for their dad while he dished out punches and elbows.
“It was disturbing,” Gorimbo shared. “I don’t get why people bring their kids to fights. I guess it works for some, but man, it felt rough.”
Fighting at the UFC APEX, where the crowd is small and quiet, only made the kids’ voices louder. Gorimbo admitted it got in his head, making it hard to ignore during the action.
As a father, Gorimbo knows the feeling but insists his own kids won’t be at his fights.
“Fighting isn’t for kids,” he said. “They watch from home, and that’s how it should stay.”
Gorimbo is surely a protective dad and a very good fighter and that combination is working just fine for him right now. He will turn 34 in January 2025, so fortunately for his fans, he has a few years left in the sport to make a big impact and more bucks.
