UFC fighter Themba Gorimbo has announced his retirement from the sport at 35-year-old after his latest loss in the Octagon.

“Thank you to UFC and everyone. I dared to be someone and something and failed,” Gorimbo wrote on Instagram. “Gave all I can in the sport and I am walking away from the sport. My dream is as to be a UFC champion and if I cannot be that I am going to walk away from the sport. It’s not easy but I’ve tried.

“Maybe I will make a comeback as a coach or manager someday but for now the focus will be my family.
Thank you to everyone I’ve met on the journey and everyone who has helped me along the journey.
I am officially retired from MMA as an athlete.”

Gorimbo comes from Zimbabwe and hit the headlines after losing in his UFC debut back in early 2023 when it emerged that he was living in the gym and only had $7 in his bank account, yet was looking to sell his fight kit in the hopes of helping to fund a water well back in his native country.

That caught the attention of non-other than WWE legend turned movie star The Rock, who subsequently bought Gorimbo a home.

That enabled Gorimbo to finally put his full focus into his fighting career, and at first that paid off as he went on a four-fight winning streak, beating the likes of Niko Price and Ramiz Brahimaj along the way.

However, Gorimbo has since suffered three losses in a row, and has now decided it’s time to hang up his gloves, leaving him with an overall 14-7 career record.