Themba Gorimbo has announced his retirement from MMA after suffering a third consecutive defeat.
The UFC welterweight went viral after admitting he had just $7.49 to his name before picking up a win over Takashi Sato in May 2020.
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson resonated with the UFC star’s struggle, so he offered to help him out. Johnson stepped in to help and even bought Gorimbo a house, and he was mentioned again in the fighter’s recent retirement post.
Themba Gorimbo shared a message on Instagram on Thursday to confirm his retirement from MMA.
Dwayne Johnson gets a shoutout in Themba Gorimbo’s retirement message
In his post, ‘The Answer,’ he thanked Dwayne Johnson as he looked back on his 14-7 record in the sport. “35 years old (16 years in the sport ), one chapter ends, and the next chapter starts,” Gorimbo began.
“Honestly, I feel some sort of relief. Going into my last fight, I made sure I lived out life to the fullest during fight week because something said I should because it could be the last time. I have no regrets, and honestly, right after the fight, I wanted to let the gloves down in the cage, but I thought let me give Jono [Jonathan Micallef] his moment.
“3 days later, I emailed Sean Shelby, thanking him for the opportunity to bring me in the UFC. Whatever decision he would take, I would be at peace as this sport is about winning and performances, and I was failing to do that. Sean Shelby @seanshelby got me into the UFC, and I am grateful that one of my dreams got fulfilled.
“I want to thank the fans for the love and hate 😉. I want to thank everyone I’ve met on this journey. To my man @therock and team, I thank you for everything. American dream wouldn’t have happened without you guys.
“I want to thank my current bosses at home ( my girls ❤️❤️❤️). I did not give up, but the chapter ended, and I will control my story narrative forever. God is by my side always. He is the author of my forever-inspiring story.”
What Themba Gorimbo plans to do next
Themba Gorimbo has said he’s not leaving the sport completely. Instead, he plans to stay involved as both a coach and a manager.
He also mentioned that he wants to help his children chase their own dreams, this time in tennis.
“The ultimate goal was to be a champion in UFC,” Gorimbo explained.
“I failed at that as an athlete myself, but it’s not over. I will be back as a Coach / Manager. I want to thank my manager, teammates over the years, and all the coaches I’ve worked with. Everyone taught me something. Even those we don’t communicate now.
“FYI : I wasn’t even supposed to be here, but I got here. Fighting is the least of my talents, as much as it is sad, I am grateful. Now let’s focus on tennis 🎾 for my daughters.”
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