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27 Years Later, Dwayne Johnson Repays His Unpaid Debt After Coming to the Rescue of African Brother in the UFC

Published 08/09/2023, 6:05 AM EDT

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Dwayne Johnson didn’t become one of the most well-known personalities in the world overnight. He had a lot of struggles along the way. Moreover, his WWE career started only because of a Hall of Famer, a debt which he repaid after 27 years by helping a struggling UFC star, Themba Gorimbo.

Zimbabwean fighter Gorimbo found himself in a predicament after his first win at UFC Vegas 73. He had only $7 in his bank account and sent his earnings from the fight back home. This story caught the eye of ‘The Rock’ who decided to lend a helping hand to ‘The Answer’.

Dwayne Johnson buys Themba Gorimbo a house

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‘The Rock’ recently paid a surprise visit to Themba Gorimbo at the MMA Masters gym in Florida. It was a welcome sight for ‘The Answer’ as he rushed to hug Johnson as soon as he saw him. However, that was not the end of the surprise visit. The Hollywood A-lister took Gorimbo to a house claiming that it was his friend’s place, but later revealed that it was a house he bought as a gift to the UFC star.

 

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A post shared by Dwayne Johnson (@therock)

Themba Gorimbo was left speechless at ‘The Rock’s heartwarming gesture and couldn’t help but cry out of happiness. After months of sleeping on the couch of his gym, Gorimbo finally had a place where he could stay happily and comfortably with his family. Many people praised Johnson’s gesture towards the UFC fighter. ‘The Rock’ was serious about the “seven bucks” situation, which also stemmed from the time in his life when WWE Hall of Famer Pat Patterson came to his rescue.

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How did Pat Patterson help ‘The Rock’?

Dwayne Johnson initially dreamt of becoming a professional football player. However, that dream could not come true since he was cut within two months of signing with the Calgary Stampeders in 1995. Johnson found himself in a precarious position, having only seven bucks in his pocket. That was the time when he decided to get into his family business, professional wrestling.

 

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A post shared by Dwayne Johnson (@therock)

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However, coming into the WWE wasn’t that easy for ‘The Rock’. But then came his mentor, Pat Patterson, to show him the way to the wrestling world. The Hall of Famer had a great relationship with his family and urged Vince McMahon to give ‘The Rock’ a chance to perform. That resulted in his first match for the promotion in Corpus Christi, Texas, on March 11, 1996. That changed Johnson’s life forever.

Dwayne Johnson certainly gave back to his late mentor by helping out Themba Gorimbo and resonated with what he went through in life. This is a testament to the person he is and why fans around the world love him so dearly. Moreover, ‘The Rock’ recognized the position he was in and did not hesitate one bit before helping Gorimbo out.

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Written by:

Himanga Mahanta

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Himanga Mahanta is a UFC writer at EssentiallySports. He has a passion for combat sports and a deep understanding of the intricacies of MMA. With his expertise and extensive knowledge, Himanga provides in-depth coverage of UFC events and fighters, bringing his readers closer to the action and the athletes they admire.
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Edited by:

Yeswanth Praveen