UFC star Themba Gorimbo has sparked a stir after claiming that neither his country nor his family supported his journey to the top. “Nobody in Zimbabwe supported me,” said the history-maker, reflecting on his difficult path to becoming the first Zimbabwean to win in the Octagon.
He has blocked his entire family and wants nothing to do with Zimbabwe. Not his family, not his community, not a single national program offered support during his struggle.
He trained, bled, and survived on the kindness of strangers who saw his potential. Meanwhile, his homeland and family waited for headlines, arriving only after the victory, when he no longer needed them.
This is the cruel irony many talented Africans face. Cheap applause after success and barely any support during the grind.
Gorimbo’s story flips the narrative. This is not a case of a successful athlete refusing to give back. It is a man protecting himself from a system and people who offered nothing when everything was on the line. His rise was built on grit and external support, not homeground love.
The lesson resonates across the continent. Young Africans grinding toward their dreams need encouragement and resources. Gorimbo made it despite abandonment, but countless others likely didn’t.
His UFC victory is monumental. His estrangement from home is the real story. The message is crystal clear, black tax and lack of homeground support can drive the brightest talent away from the very people who should have nurtured them.
