Themba Gorimbo prefers not to have his children or any children attend his fights, as he finds it distracting and believes the fighting environment is not suitable for kids, a sentiment reinforced after hearing his opponent’s children cheering during a recent match.
Themba Gorimbo always fights for his family, but he doesn’t want them front and center when he competes. Surprisingly, he’s never really considered having his kids at his fights. This belief solidified after a recent bout where he dominated Niko Price for 15 minutes to secure a unanimous decision win.
During the fight, Gorimbo could hear Price’s kids cheering for their dad as he landed punches and elbows. “It’s very, very disturbing,” Gorimbo told MMA Fighting. “I don’t understand why people bring their kids to the fight. It was so bad. I don’t think it was right.”
Fighting at the UFC APEX, known for its quiet atmosphere, only amplified the kids’ voices. Their cheers got in his head during some exchanges when he was dishing out punishment. “It was very tough,” Gorimbo said. “Those kids were yelling the whole time. ‘Let’s go Dad, let’s go Dad!’ Oh my gosh. It was not nice.”
As a father himself, Gorimbo realized that hearing those kids affected him more than expected. It reinforced his decision never to allow his own children to attend his fights. “No, they’ll never go to my fights,” Gorimbo stated firmly. “Leave the kids at home.”
While Gorimbo knows his kids watch from home, it’s not something he encourages or even wants. He remains unaware if they’re watching live or not, keeping some distance from that aspect.
On Saturday, Gorimbo aims for his fifth consecutive win by stepping up on short notice against Vicente Luque at UFC 310. Unlike his previous fight, this one takes place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas with a packed house, making it unlikely he’ll hear any specific person yelling — including his opponent’s children.
Climbing towards the top 15 rankings at welterweight, Gorimbo hopes to stick to larger venues in the future. “I was thinking I must not fight at the APEX anymore,” he admitted. “Because it’s a little bit tough.”