Since stepping into the UFC, welterweight star Themba Gorimbo has captivated fans worldwide. He has fought six times in nearly three years of his UFC career, with a 4-2 record, but his remarkable personal story draws fans more than his skills inside the octagon. From toiling in Zimbabwe’s diamond mines to rising as a professional fighter, his journey is a testament to resilience and determination.

This unique background has shaped both his mindset and his fighting style, giving him an edge that goes beyond skill alone. Comparable in intrigue to Leonardo DiCaprio’s portrayal in Blood Diamond, Gorimbo’s life story is as compelling outside the cage as it is inside. Here, we delve into his background, the struggles he overcame, and the path that led him to UFC stardom.

Where is Themba Gorimbo from? His Zimbabwe ethnicity and nationality     

Themba Gorimbo was born on January 23, 1991, in Bikita, a rural area in Masvingo Province in southeastern Zimbabwe. At the time, the region offered few opportunities, and most people made their living through small-scale farming and local mining. ‘The Answer’ is likely of Shona ethnicity, the country’s largest group, while the Ndebele make up the second largest. His South African nationality, however, tells a different story, which we will explore shortly.

Themba Gorimbo’s Orphaned Childhood: How He Lost Both Parents

From the cradle of humanity to a continent rich in natural resources, Africa has long been abundant in valuable materials such as diamonds. Yet this wealth has often brought challenges. The Hollywood film Blood Diamond vividly showed how rebel groups like the RUF tore apart countries such as Sierra Leone, sparking civil wars between 1991 and 2002.

It was during this turbulent period that Themba Themba Gorimbo was born and raised. Amid these hardships, he lost his parents, his mother at age 12 and his father at 13. Though the exact circumstances of their deaths are unknown, Gorimbo had to care for his younger brother alone.

Themba Gorimbo’s Illegal Diamond Mining Past in Zimbabwe

By the age of thirteen, Themba Gorimbo had lost both his mother and father. As a result, left alone to care for his younger brother, ‘The Truth’ dropped out of school and began working in illegal diamond mines. Afterward, relatives took him in but rejected him, saying he “was not part of the family,” which left Gorimbo largely to fend for himself. 

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Eventually vulnerable and desperate, he became involved in the dangerous world of blood diamond smuggling, facing constant risk just to survive.

Was Themba Gorimbo attacked by police dogs? The scar story

Caught between smugglers and the authorities, it was the common people who bore the brunt of the struggle for power. For Themba Gorimbo, life with his cousins was harsh, and he had to navigate these difficulties while caring for his younger brother. At 16, he began illegally mining diamonds in the fields and smuggling them.

That same year, Zimbabwe faced a severe drought that brought the country to the brink of famine. The money ‘The Answer’ earned from smuggling helped him survive financially and ultimately gave him the means and resolve to attempt crossing the border into South Africa.

How Did Themba Gorimbo Escape Zimbabwe and Make It to MMA?

After earning money from smuggling diamonds, Themba Gorimbo took a leap of faith and set out to travel thousands of kilometers to South Africa, widely regarded as the continent’s land of opportunity. However, they deported him back to Zimbabwe on the very same day. During the bus journey, when the vehicle stopped at the first city, ‘The Answer’ chose not to return home and instead crossed the border into South Africa on his own.

Life in South Africa was far from easy. Themba Gorimbo ended up living on the streets of Johannesburg, struggling to survive. Over time, he earned enough money to contact his cousin in Cape Town and soon relocated there. Despite working 17 hours a day, he refused to give up. Inspired by an MMA movie, ‘The Answer’ decided to pursue the sport.

That’s how Gorimbo’s MMA journey began, and he is now making waves on the international circuit with the UFC, known for his hard work and willpower.