“You Were Scared for Real”: Zimbabwean MMA Fighter’s Rough Encounter With a Bear Has SA Astonished

• Recently retired Zimbabwean UFC fighter Themba Gorimbo has gone viral after sharing a video of a tense close encounter with a grizzly bear
• The clip shows the former welterweight athlete screaming as the massive predator becomes aggressive, forcing an expert to step in between them
• Viewers were stunned by the danger, with many pointing out that the combat sports veteran was clearly terrified despite his laughter

Former professional mixed martial artist Themba proved that even the toughest cage fighters have their limits after sharing a hair-raising video of his face-to-face encounter with a grizzly bear. The video, which was uploaded on his Facebook page on 26 May 2026, shows the sportsman physically battling to stay composed as the apex predator attempted to wrestle him to the ground.

Themba was in proximity to the massive animal alongside a handler who appeared completely comfortable around the beast. The situation, however, intensified when the grizzly bear began showing signs of aggression.

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Retired UFC fighter left terrified after bear encounter

Clearly out of his comfort zone, Facebook user Themba Gorimbo let out a scream as the animal pushed against him, prompting the expert handler to quickly jump in between him and the bear to diffuse the situation. The tension spiked even further when the bear moved towards the rest of Themba’s entourage standing nearby, causing them to panic and sprint toward a parked car for safety.

Themba retires from mixed martial arts

The wild clip surfaced just days after the 35-year-old sports star officially announced his retirement from mixed martial arts online. Themba, affectionately nicknamed "The Mamba," hung up his gloves following a tough three-fight losing streak, concluding his historic combat career with a professional record of 14 wins and seven losses.

Watch the Facebook reel below:

Mzansi discusses the bear encounter

Locals were shocked that the former athlete would willingly get that close to such a dangerous creature. They stated that they would never play with danger or attempt to stand near a grizzly bear under any circumstances. While Themba tried to laugh off the intense moment in the video, observers pointed out that his nervous laughter gave him away, noting they could tell he was secretly terrified.

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User @Shona Tuber said:

"Bro, you fought a grizzly."

User @Nigel Jack shared:

"Learn from Kevin Hart, he knows animals are colour sensitive."

User @Grope Troppler teased:

"The Zim in you couldn't wait any longer to come out; it's all in that laugh."

User @Andrew Ngonidzashe Makore commented:

"That guy who ran into the car is like me! I don't take chances with something I can't negotiate with. No, no."

User @Silas Njoza joked:

"It is saying, I have found a brother. You're going nowhere."

User @Grace Nyasha Njodzi said:

"You were scared for real."

3 Briefly News animal-related articles

• A man safely removed a massive black mamba from a KwaZulu-Natal home after it was discovered hiding in a bedroom wardrobe, shocking many viewers.
• Rhodes University issued a bizarre statement regarding a lion roaming the campus, clarifying that the animal was actually a high-tech project named RhoLeo 3.0.
• A young boy was filmed carrying his puppy inside a boot close to his chest, touching the hearts of many social media users who were impressed with his love for the animal.

Source: Briefly News