Themba Gorimbo relocated to Vladikavkaz, the capital of North Ossetia in Russia, for his training camp ahead of his UFC Perth bout. After suffering two consecutive losses, the African fighter decided he needed to improve his wrestling skills and traveled to Russia for specialized training. Gorimbo was scheduled to compete on the UFC Perth card following this Russian training stint. The post indicates his upcoming fight was imminent at the time of publication.
Themba Gorimbo made an unconventional pre-fight move, relocating to Vladikavkaz — the capital of North Ossetia in Russia — for a specialized training camp ahead of his upcoming bout on the UFC Perth card.
The 35-year-old welterweight from Zimbabwe, who fights out of MMA Masters and carries the nickname "The Answer," made the decision after back-to-back losses left him searching for answers in his game. Gorimbo holds a professional record of 14-7 and identified wrestling as the area most in need of reinforcement, prompting the trip to Russia for targeted work on the mat. Standing six-foot-one with a 77-inch reach, he brings notable tools to the cage — including a striking accuracy rate of 60 percent and an impressive 5.07 takedowns per 15 minutes, a number that underscores how seriously he takes the grappling dimension of his fights despite the recent setbacks.
Why it matters
- Back-to-back losses create urgency for Gorimbo heading into Perth; another defeat would put him in serious trouble in the rankings picture.
- His decision to travel to Russia specifically for wrestling training signals a deliberate tactical adjustment rather than a simple change of scenery.
- A fighter with already-strong takedown numbers sharpening that aspect of his game could present a more well-rounded and dangerous version of "The Answer" inside the octagon.
Gorimbo's willingness to uproot himself entirely and seek out elite wrestling instruction in North Ossetia reflects the seriousness with which he is approaching this fight, aware that his standing in the welterweight division demands a bounce-back performance in Perth.
