One of the biggest perks of being a UFC fighter (along with the bragging rights) is that a fighter gets to represent their country and its flag at the highest combat sports stage in the world. But what if they can’t? Well, that is exactly the position UFC welterweight star Themba Gorimbo finds himself in.

But thankfully his story (or at least that part of his story) has a happy ending. In this article, we take a look at not only the immense struggles he had to go through to make it to the UFC but also his fight to get the privilege to represent his home country’s flag in the octagon.

Themba Gorimbo gets permission to carry his flag in the UFC

In Zimbabwe, athletes need permission from the government to represent the beautiful, five-colored flag of the country in athletic events. The responsibility of giving this permission rests with the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) of the country. And Gorimbo, before his May 2024 clash against Ramiz Brahimaj did not have this permission.

Instead, he used to fight under the South African flag, where he had trained and started his pro-MMA. This was because he didn’t have the required permission from the SRC. Refusing to give up as usual, Gorimbo went on a public crusade where he called out Zimbabwe’s SRC for denying him permission on social media. Predictably, he also received a lot of support from his compatriots, so the SRC finally relented and gave him the approval to have the Zimbabwe flag on his gear.

“I am truly grateful and happy my voice has been heard and I get to have my country flag on my fight kit going forward. This is big. As a UFC athlete, it feels good to see your country’s flag on your fighting gear. This is part of the story and history. Thank you to everyone who played a part,” Gorimbo would tell fans on social media in April 2024, a couple of months after meeting the SRC Director and getting the requisite permission. Of course, this is just one of the small battles he has had.

The early life of Themba Gorimbo

By the time he was thirteen, Themba Gorimbo had lost both his mother and father. Just a kid, left alone, with a younger brother to take care of, ‘The Truth’ would leave school and go to work in illegal diamond mines. Until one fateful day, when he would be caught by the police. Not only was he caught, but dogs were set upon him, scars of which he still has on his body.

By the time he was seventeen, Gorimbo decided it was time for a change. He fled to South Africa soon after, where he would discover and fall in love with MMA. Eventually, this would lead to him making his way to the USA and the UFC. But even then, he just had 7 dollars in his account and would be forced to live in the gym he worked at. Until that is, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson would famously be so moved by Gorimbo’s inspiring journey that he would surprise the Zimbabwean with a house. While Gorimbo has had a very tough life, full of struggles, it is good to see him get such small victories.

And as he looks on to enter the cage later this week at UFC 310 against Vicente Luque, it will be a sight to behold to watch him sport the Zimbabwean flag in the octagon. Tell us about how you feel about Gorimbo’s struggles in the comment section below!