Themba Gorimbo announces retirement

Themba Gorimbo said on May 21 that he was retiring from mixed martial arts, ending an eight-fight UFC run after a loss earlier this month. The Zimbabwean welterweight announced the decision in an Instagram post that was subsequently reported by Heavy and MMA Junkie. Gorimbo’s most recent fight was a split-decision defeat to Jonathan Micallef at UFC Fight Night 275 in Perth, Australia, on May 2. UFC Stats lists Gorimbo with a 14-7 professional record and a 4-4 mark in the UFC. ### What exactly did Gorimbo say when he retired? Gorimbo wrote on Instagram on May 21 that he was stepping away after falling short of his goal in the sport. MMA Junkie reported that he said he had “gave all I can,” while other reports quoted him saying he had “dared to be someone and something and failed.” The posts and follow-up reports framed the move as a final decision rather than a pause from competition. (heavy.com) Heavy reported that the announcement came after Gorimbo’s latest defeat and noted that it was his third straight loss. That skid left him at.500 in the UFC after wins and losses across cards in Las Vegas and elsewhere during his tenure with the promotion. ### Which loss appears to have triggered the decision? (mmajunkie.usatoday.com) UFC Fight Night 275 in Perth is listed as Gorimbo’s final appearance, and the result was a split-decision loss to Jonathan Micallef on May 2. MMA Junkie and Heavy both tied the retirement directly to that bout, describing it as the defeat that preceded his announcement. Tapology also lists May 2, 2026, as the date of his last fight. (heavy.com) Sherdog’s fight history and UFC’s athlete page place Gorimbo’s recent run inside the welterweight division, where he competed at 170 pounds. UFC’s official profile identifies him as a Zimbabwean fighter in the welterweight roster and lists his nickname as “Mamba.” ### How old is Gorimbo, and what do the records show? UFC Stats lists Gorimbo’s date of birth as Jan. 23, 1991, which makes him 35. (mmajunkie.usatoday.com) That conflicts with the preliminary card context describing him as 28. Multiple current fight databases, including UFC Stats, ESPN and Tapology, show the same 1991 birth year. The official numbers also show a career that stretched well beyond the UFC. (sherdog.com) Sherdog records wins in EFC, Fury FC and other regional promotions before his move to the UFC, while UFC Stats credits him with 14 wins, including six by submission and two by knockout. ### What did his UFC run look like? UFC’s athlete page shows Gorimbo fought eight times for the promotion and split those bouts evenly at 4-4. (ufcstats.com) His UFC tenure included victories over Takashi Sato, Pete Rodriguez, Ramiz Brahimaj and Niko Price, according to UFC and Sherdog records. Tapology lists Gorimbo on a three-fight losing streak entering retirement, and Heavy said the latest loss dropped his UFC record to 4-4. (sherdog.com) Those records make the retirement announcement notable less for timing than for its finality: Gorimbo said himself that he had reached the end of the attempt. ### What is the next concrete place to track this? (ufc.com) UFC’s athlete page for Themba Gorimbo remained live on May 22 and still listed his fight history through the May 2 loss in Perth. Any formal roster change, bout removal or status update would most likely appear first on UFC’s athlete page or in UFC event records, with MMA Junkie and other MMA outlets tracking any follow-up statement from Gorimbo. (ufc.com) (tapology.com)