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“I Paid for My Own Flights….”: Homeless African UFC Fighter Reveals the Extreme Measures He Took, Just to Fight in Front of Dana White

Published 06/30/2023, 3:45 PM EDT

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Themba Gorimbo has risen from the ashes of adversity to pursue his dreams. From toiling in the unforgiving blood diamond mines of Zimbabwe as a teenager to stepping into the octagon, Gorimbo has been an inspiration for many. He started his UFC journey at UFC Fight Night 219 but had to go home with a submission loss against A.J. Fletcher.

However, Gorimbo came back with an impressive victory in his second UFC outing at UFC Vegas 73. Moreover, the UFC fighter gained immense support when he tweeted about having merely $7 before his UFC fight. Big names like Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson extended their appreciation towards the fighter, and fans wanted to know more about his story.

Recently, Gorimbo sat down with Michael Bisping and Anthony Smith on their podcast, peeling back layers of his inspiring ascent.

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Themba Gorimbo’s struggles to get recognised by Dana White

He revealed the challenges he faced, both financially and personally, that shaped his path to the octagon. As Gorimbo shared his story, he highlighted the lengths to which he went to catch the attention of the UFC. Despite being on their radar since 2019, circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic delayed his opportunity.

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He stated, “I want to tell people you know I was on the UFC radar for a very long period of time since 2019. They kept saying ‘okay we’re gonna give him a chance’ and then the COVID happened.”

Undeterred, Gorimbo took matters into his own hands, emailing the UFC and booking his own flights to get a chance to fight in front of the promotion’s boss, Dana White.

“I went as far as emailing them and showing them my tickets… I paid for my own flights, I paid for my corner men’s flights so that I can fight in front of Dana White. So that maybe I can get a chance to get in the UFC. I fell short right and then the second one again in New Orleans from Africa so expensive, I paid for my own flights again, for myself and my coach.”, said Gorimbo.

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While Gorimbo’s victories may not have been flawless, they showcased his relentless spirit and a burning desire to prove himself.

Read More – Amid XFL’s $60,000,000 Loss, and Backlash From the Fans, Dwayne Johnson Gets a Heartwarming Response

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Fans are excited to see more from this hungry and passionate fighter.

Watch This Story – Take A Look At Dana White’s Six Million Worth Mansion

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Written by:

Sushant Sharma

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Sushant Sharma is a senior writer at EssentiallySports. With over 500 articles to his name, he is an authority on the sport of MMA and the UFC. This experienced content writer has been following the sport since 2016 and is a practitioner himself.
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Edited by:

Debmallya Chakraborty