Dwayne Johnson, known as The Rock, has weighed in on Themba Gorimbo’s remarkable victory at UFC Vegas 85 on February 3, 2024. Gorimbo secured a victory over Pete Rodriguez via TKO just 32 seconds into the first round of their welterweight matchup.
With this impressive win, the Zimbabwe-born fighter improved his UFC record to 2-1, boasting an overall professional MMA record of 12-4. Gorimbo made his UFC debut in February 2023 and clinched his inaugural UFC victory in May of the same year.
Following his debut win, Gorimbo shared that he had a mere $7 in his bank account. WWE icon and Hollywood superstar Dwayne Johnson, who has openly discussed his financial struggles in the past, reached out to the UFC fighter.
Drawing parallels to his journey of overcoming financial hardships, Johnson expressed a deep connection with Gorimbo’s $7 story. After Gorimbo’s UFC fight in May 2023 and the revelation of his financial situation, The Rock pledged his support to him.
Moved by Gorimbo’s selflessness, as he chose to use the majority of his fight earnings to purchase a bush pump for his village rather than for personal expenses, The Rock decided to gift Gorimbo a fully-furnished house in Miami. Gorimbo later expressed his gratitude towards The Rock for the generous gesture.
The 33-year-old MMA athlete has shared an Instagram post featuring a video call between himself and The Rock, accompanied by a heartfelt message:
“Don’t make me cry next time before a fight my brother. @therock. Thank you brother. Pay it forward.”
Responding to the post in the comments section, Johnson congratulated Gorimbo on his impressive knockout victory at UFC Vegas 85. Expressing admiration and support, the cultural icon wrote:
“Incredible win my brother. We’re all so proud of you. Keep climbing that mountain and inspiring everyone along the way. Congrats to you, your coaches and TEAM. Love U !!”
