UFC Fighter Themba Gorimbo Fires Back at Chivayo, Mahere After Viral CNN Interview

UFC fighter Themba Gorimbo criticises Wicknell Chivayo and Fadzayi Mahere after backlash over CNN remarks about cutting ties with Zimbabwe (image source)

Zimbabwean-born UFC fighter Themba Gorimbo has sparked a heated public exchange after criticising businessman Wicknell Chivayo and former MP Fadzayi Mahere, following backlash over remarks he made during a recent CNN interview.

In the interview, Gorimbo said he had severed ties with both his family and Zimbabwe, and disclosed plans to be cremated with his ashes scattered in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, saying he no longer feels connected to his country of birth. The comments quickly went viral on social media, drawing strong reactions.

Chivayo responded online with a dismissive post, prompting Gorimbo to issue a lengthy rebuttal in which he accused the businessman of seeking attention and questioned his credibility. “You can bully other Zimbabweans and buy them, but not me,” Gorimbo wrote, adding that serious entrepreneurs do not focus on social-media disputes.

Gorimbo also criticised Fadzayi Mahere after she posted that she would “pick Zimbabwe over and over again,” which he interpreted as an indirect response to his stance. In a strongly worded reaction, Gorimbo accused Mahere of benefiting from the same political system she criticises and questioned her impact during her short tenure as Member of Parliament for Mt Pleasant, which ended within months amid internal disputes in the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).

Highlighting his own contributions, Gorimbo pointed to community projects including the drilling of a borehole in his home village. He contrasted this with what he described as performative activism, framing his position as one grounded in lived hardship rather than political rhetoric.

Gorimbo remains a significant figure in Zimbabwean sport as the first Zimbabwean to win a UFC fight, holding a professional MMA record of 14 wins and 6 losses. His journey from poverty in Bikita, Masvingo — where he lost both parents by age 13 — to international recognition has been widely publicised. A notable moment in his story came when actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson gifted him a house after learning he had only US$7 before one of his fights.

Despite his sporting achievements, Gorimbo’s recent statements have reignited debate around identity, belonging and the responsibilities of public figures toward their countries of origin.