WWE superstar turned actor Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock, recently shared his thoughts on Themba Gorimbo’s impressive victory at UFC Vegas 85 on February 3, 2024. Gorimbo defeated Pete Rodriguez in their welterweight bout via TKO just 32 seconds into round one.
With this dominant performance, the fighter from Zimbabwe improved his UFC record to 2-1 and his overall professional MMA record to 12-4. Gorimbo made his UFC debut in February 2023 and secured his first UFC win in May 2023.
The Rock praises Themba Gorimbo
During an interview, UFC fighter Gorimbo disclosed that he had only $7 in his bank account before his first win in the UFC. One of the celebrities who noticed Gorimbo’s story was Dwayne Johnson, who is known for sharing his own stories of financial struggles in the past.
Johnson had gone through a rough patch in his professional football career, and at one point, he had only $7 to his name. Despite the setbacks, he persevered and eventually achieved great success as a WWE superstar and a renowned actor and producer in Hollywood.
The Rock mentioned that he felt a deep bond with Themba Gorimbo’s story of overcoming hardship with just $7. After the UFC fight in May 2023 and the revelation of Gorimbo’s story, The Rock vowed to assist him. Gorimbo, on his part, used most of his fight earnings to buy a bush pump for his village rather than spending it on himself. The Rock was moved by his selflessness and their similar economic challenges, and he subsequently gifted Gorimbo a fully furnished house in Miami. Gorimbo later expressed his gratitude for the same.
The 33-year-old MMA fighter recently shared an Instagram post featuring a video call with The Rock, accompanied by a heartfelt caption.
“Don’t make me cry next time before a fight, my brother. @therock. Thank you brother. Pay it forward.” wrote Gorimbo.
In the Instagram post’s comments section, The Great One congratulated Gorimbo on his thunderous knockout win at UFC Vegas 85.
“Incredible win, my brother. We’re all so proud of you. Keep climbing that mountain and inspiring everyone along the way. Congrats to you, your coaches and TEAM. Love U !!” wrote The Rock.
The Rock helped Themba Gorimbo during his struggles
WWE legend The Rock has displayed his kindness and generosity towards a fellow athlete. UFC fighter Themba Gorimbo gained public attention after he shared his financial struggles, revealing that he only had $7 in his bank account before his recent victory at UFC Vegas 73.
In May 2023, during his post-fight interview, Gorimbo shared his struggles while coming to America. He said that upon his arrival, he had no money and faced a lot of financial difficulties. Due to a lack of funds, he could hardly afford to travel to the gym. Fortunately, a friend extended a helping hand by sending him $200, which provided much-needed support and helped him survive during those challenging early weeks.
The story goes that The Rock learned of Gorimbo’s struggles and offered to help. He kept his promise by giving the Zimbabwean fighter a fully furnished house in Miami. The house was a generous gift that went beyond what anyone could have expected.
And to cap it off, Johnson made a personal visit to the MMA Masters gym in Florida to meet Gorimbo in person. It was a heartwarming gesture that showed the kindness of the actor and former wrestler.
