| Themba Gorimbo | |
| Other Names: | The Answer |
| Birth Name: | Themba Takura Lawrence Gorimbo[1] |
| Birth Date: | 23 January 1991 |
| Birth Place: | Bikita, Masvingo, Zimbabwe |
| Weight: | 170lb |
| Weight Class: | Welterweight (2013–present) Lightweight (2015) |
| Fighting Out Of: | Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Team: | MMA Masters |
| Years Active: | 2013–present |
| Mma Kowin: | 2 |
| Mma Subwin: | 6 |
| Mma Decwin: | 5 |
| Mma Koloss: | 1 |
| Mma Subloss: | 2 |
| Mma Decloss: | 1 |
| Sherdog: | 117729 |
Themba Takura Lawrence Gorimbo (born January 23, 1991) is a Zimbabwean professional mixed martial artist who currently competes in the Welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Gorimbo lost his mom at the age of 12 and his dad at 13. He dropped out of school at the age of 16 to become a blood diamond smuggler in order to survive and take care of his younger brother.[2] He was bitten by German Shepherd dogs after he was caught digging for blood diamond illegally at the mines. At age 17, Gorimbo fled to South Africa, where he eventually discovered mixed martial arts.[3] He later bought his own plane ticket to go to the United States to pursue his MMA career.[4]
Gorimbo was scheduled to make his promotional debut against Billy Goff on February 18, 2023 at UFC Fight Night 219.[5] However, Goff withdrawal due to undisclosed reason and was replaced by A.J. Fletcher.[6] He lost the fight via a guillotine choke in round two.[7]
Gorimbo faced Takashi Sato on May 20, 2023, at UFC Fight Night 223. He won the fight via unanimous decision.[8]
Gorimbo was scheduled to face Kiefer Crosbie on February 3, 2024 at UFC Fight Night 235.[9] However on January 5, it was announced that Crosbie pulled out due to an injury.[10] He was replaced by Pete Rodriguez.[11] He won the fight via technical knockout in round one.[12]
Gorimbo faced Ramiz Brahimaj on May 18, 2024, at UFC Fight Night 241.[13] He won the bout by unanimous decision.[14]
He became the first Zimbabwean to win a fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.[15]
In a post match interview, after his first UFC win, Gorimbo mentioned that he did not have any money, that he had $7 in his account. That caught the attention of former WWE and Hollywood star Dwayne Johnson who surprised Gorimbo at his gym. Touched by Themba's story of having $7 in his account, probably due to the fact that Johnson also had $7 after being dropped by the NFL, Johnson surprised Themba by buying him a house.
Themba started a project of drilling boreholes in Bikita, the village he grew up in, in Zimbabwe. He received assistance from the UAE Warriors (a professional mixed martial arts organisation based in Abu Dhabi) including John Rogoveanu, a philanthropist. He started with two boreholes.[16] Fellow fighter Marlon Vera also donated to Themba's cause to building more boreholes.[17]
He plans to build a solar-powered library in his hometown so that children can be able to study after hours.[18]
|-|Win|align=center|13–4|Ramiz Brahimaj|Decision (unanimous)|||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States ||-|Win|align=center|12–4|Pete Rodriguez |TKO (punches)|||align=center|1|align=center|0:32|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||-|Win|align=center|11–4|Takashi Sato|Decision (unanimous)|||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||-|Loss|align=center|10–4|A.J. Fletcher |Submission (guillotine choke)|||align=center|2|align=center|1:37|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||-|Win|align=center|10–3|Julio Rafael Rodrigues |Decision (unanimous)|Fury FC 65||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|New Orleans, Louisiana, United States||-|Loss|align=center|9–3|Handesson Ferreira|Decision (unanimous)|UAE Warriors 24||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates ||-|Win|align=center|9–2|Lyle Karam|Submission (triangle choke)|EFC Worldwide 84||align=center|2|align=center|2:06|Pretoria, South Africa ||-|Win|align=center|8–2|Luke Michael|TKO (punches)|EFC Worldwide 82||align=center|1|align=center|2:48|Brakpan, South Africa ||-|Win|align=center|7–2|José da Rocha Junior|Decision (unanimous)|EFC Worldwide 79||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Johannesburg, South Africa ||-|Loss|align=center|6–2|Dave Mazany|KO (punches)|EFC Worldwide 63||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Cape Town, South Africa ||-|Win|align=center|6–1|Joe Cummins|Decision (unanimous)|EFC Worldwide 49||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Johannesburg, South Africa ||-|Loss|align=center|5–1|Leon Mynhardt|Submission (guillotine choke)|EFC Worldwide 44||align=center|2|align=center|1:03|Johannesburg, South Africa ||-|Win|align=center|5–0|Alex Cheboub|Submission (guillotine choke)|EFC Africa 37||align=center|1|align=center|1:50|Johannesburg, South Africa ||-|Win|align=center|4–0|Chaz Wasserman|Submission (brabo choke)|EFC Africa 27||align=center|2|align=center|4:31|Gauteng, South Africa ||-|Win|align=center|3–0|Chimmy van Winkel|Submission (armbar)|EFC Africa 26||align=center|1|align=center|1:59|Gauteng, South Africa ||-|Win|align=center|2–0|Juan Lubbe|Submission (armbar)|EFC Africa 22||align=center|1|align=center|3:48|Gauteng, South Africa ||-|Win|align=center|1–0|Sydney Mokgolo|Submission (triangle choke)|Imagine FC 3||align=center|2|align=center|1:50|Gqeberha, South Africa ||-[19]