Themba Gorimbo, a Zimbabwean UFC welterweight, has an inspiring story. He went from working in blood diamond mines to competing in global MMA. He talked about how his family criticized him and didn’t support him after he lost a fight.
Gorimbo caught the world’s attention for his grit and toughness. He lost to Vicente Luque at UFC 310 in just one minute. This ended his four-fight winning streak. But what hurt more than losing was how some of his family reacted.
On the Pivot Podcast, Gorimbo shared something that upset him. He said some of his cousins were happy he lost. This felt like they had turned against him.
“After I went online, one of my cousins sent me a message the day following my recent defeat,” Gorimbo shared. “Some of my relatives were happy about my loss. They all seemed to enjoy my defeat. He sent me a video showing them in a location where we lived 15 years ago, a small area in Danone that’s a slum. These cousins of mine were celebrating the fact that I lost.”
