Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has surprised a UFC fighter who was sleeping on a gym couch with the ultimate gift.
On July 27, the 51-year-old former WWE wrestler shared a touching video of him surprising Themba Gorimbo, a 32-year-old UFC welterweight fighter who was struggling to buy a house for his family.
In the heartwarming clip, Johnson can be seen quietly entering the gym while the UFC fighter was in the middle of a sit-down interview. He then stood behind him and waited for Gorimbo to notice his presence.
"It’s crazy what can happen when you are able to tell your story, who you can touch, and who you can inspire," Gorimbo said, before turning around and embracing Johnson when he realized he was behind him.
Watch the moment below:
The budding UFC fighter's inspiring story was first brought to the Hollywood star's attention on Twitter in June when ESPN shared a story about how Gorimbo only had $7.49 in his bank account.
The fighter sold his gear and used most of his UFC earnings to transfer money home to his village in Zimbabwe, where he helped buy a well so the local community had safe drinking water.
The story touched the Jumanji star, who has been open about the financial struggles he faced early in his professional wrestling career such as he was living out of a car with just $7 to his name before becoming one of the biggest stars in the sports entertainment business.
"This is f'n crazy to see and brings back many emotions and memories," Johnson tweeted in response to reading Gorimbo’s story. "$7.49 in this fighter’s bank account. I once had $7 bucks too. I’ve been there on that grind. Got your back, brother. I’ll help."
The Fast X actor stuck to his word by surprising Gorimbo with his very own property. He first took him to "a friend’s house," and when they toured the place, the fighter noticed there were several pictures of him and his family.
Then the Moana actor handed over house keys and said "Welcome home," leaving Gorimbo stunned and emotional. He kept hugging The Rock and expressing his gratitude to him over and over.
"I was so moved by your story and when I found out you were sleeping on the couch in the gym; there's no more couch sleeping. This is your house," Johnson told him. "Welcome home. Now you can bring your kids here."
Johnson then told him that house is all his, and that he doesn't "have to think about anything," adding: "The only thing you think about is your family, getting them over here, getting them with you, your training and becoming champion."
Gorimbo responded by promising Johnson that he will become a champion, and will use the money he was saving up for a house to build another well in Zimbabwe.
According to PEOPLE, the actor will lease the home and pay for all expenses for as long as Gorimbo wants to live there.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson continues to come across as one of the nicest stars in Hollywood. After making the transition from WWE legend to star of the silver screen, he's now the highest paid actor in the world, according to Forbes.
But unlike many people who make it big, the 46-year-old has not forgotten his roots, and he has shared his many millions with his nearest and dearest.
Now, the actor has recently taken to Instagram to share the special moment he told his dad he was going to buy him a new house:
A clearly emotional Dwayne said at the start of the video that he'd just finished "a great call" with his dad, Rocky Johnson - a legend in the professional wrestling world.
Dwayne then revealed that a few weeks ago, he'd offered to buy his dad a new home anywhere he wanted to live - an offer which he says left the 74-year-old "speechless".
And now that the WWE Hall of Famer is about to start looking at properties, he said to his son, "I'm so excited and I'm so nervous," Dwayne revealed. He explained that his father was "an old school tough guy" and that he'd never heard him talk in such an emotional way before.
The Jumanji star then thanked Rocky for "beating [his] ass", and even though he "hated it back then", he's "so grateful for it now".
[[imagecaption|| Credit: Imgur]]
He captioned the emotional clip with the following message:
"He's a weathered soul and like all weathered souls, there's often a harsh storied path that got them there.
"Well for my pops that path started at 13yrs old when his mom kicked him out of his house on Christmas day and forced him to live on the streets (very true and f***ed up story) so his reality of compassion and love was forged thru pain and toughness."
[[imagecaption|| Credit: Instagram / @therock]]
"He raised me with that tough physical love and used to beat my ass in the gyms and on wrestling mats. I hated it then as a little boy, but grateful for it today as a man.
"It's shaped my DNA and helped inform how I raise my own babies (minus the ass kickings;) but always instilling the value of hard work and discipline."
However, this is certainly isn't the first time that the actor has shared his kindness on social media. Another person who was instrumental in Rock's success was his stunt double and cousin, Tanoai Reed, who he surprised in October of last year with a brand new car.
This is the moment Reed was brought to tears by Dwayne's generosity:
Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has made up for his past missteps.
Over the weekend, the 50-year-old Black Adam star shared a video on his social media page, documenting a recent visit to a 7-Eleven in Hawaii.
In the footage, the wrestler-turned-actor purchased out the store's entire Snickers bars supply and left them for any customers to take for free.
While it was a generous move, it was also an act of redeeming himself. When Johnson was just 14 years old, he would go to the same 7-Eleven and steal the chocolate bar on his way to the gym because he couldn't afford to buy one.
The video on The Rock's Instagram amassed over 1 million likes, with many users on the social media platform writing that they are happy that a famous star was willing to learn from their mistakes.
One user praised: "That's what it's about! Fixing the things we might have broke! Legendary stories!"
Credit: Instagram
Another applauded: "That's kinda awesome. Not the whole stealing everyday part, but just going out there and making it right is amazing."
Credit: Instagram
A third shared: "You're an inspiration to many including me, man! This is a big reason why. Thanks for being my idol DJ!"
Credit: Instagram
The Rock has always been known for his good deeds, which have included surprising students with disabilities, supporting kids with cancer, and even kissing a baby that was crowd surfed to him. This past June, he also bought his mother a home.
"When I was a little boy, I hated when my mom would cry," he wrote in an emotional Instagram post. "These days, I'll happily take her tears of joy."
"Mom, there’s no greater feeling than to make you happy ~ welcome home. I always say, if you got a good mom then you got a shot at becoming a good, caring human being," he added.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is a bona fide Hollywood legend. After beginning his career as a college football player before injury forced him into the ring, and, by chance, onto the big screen, he is now the world's highest-paid actor. And to celebrate the 47-year-old's nuptials, we've compiled a list of what you need to know about Hollywood's top guy!
[post_page_title]The Early Years[/post_page_title]
Dwayne Johnson was born in May 1972 in Hayward, California. However, by the time he was old enough to attend elementary school, Johnson spent the majority of his formative years living in Honolulu, Hawaii. Where he would marry the love of his life years decades later...
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[post_page_title]Dwayne's Father[/post_page_title]
Rock came from greatness. Dwayne's father is Rocky "Soul Man" Johnson, who earned legendary status in the ring because he was one-half of the first African-American tag-team champions. His grandfather, Peter Maivia, also found success as a wrestler, and he was one of the first Samoan wrestlers. But contrary to what was in his blood, at first, Dwayne chose a different sporting path.
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[post_page_title]Before Wrestling There Was Football[/post_page_title]
By the time Dwayne had graduated from high school, he knew that he wanted to take sports more seriously and while at college, he played for the Miami Hurricanes. This eventually culminated in him becoming a part of the 1991 national championship team, giving him a collective 39 games and 77 tackles to his name.
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[post_page_title]His First Wife[/post_page_title]
But playing football wasn't the only significant life event to happen to Dwayne at college, it's also where he met his first wife and mother of his oldest child, Dany Garcia. They were together for a decade, and despite their split, remain on good terms. "Since our divorce, we've become pretty good at working together, and we are also raising our beautiful daughter, Simone," Johnson said.
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[post_page_title]The End Of Dwayne's First Dream[/post_page_title]
Although Dwayne had a promising start as a footballer and could have very well gone on to become an NFL start, he was forced to quit the sport after a number of injuries. "The dreams I had, they're dashed," he recalled. "There is no more football. My relationship was crushed. That was my absolute worst time."
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[post_page_title]Rocky Maivia[/post_page_title]
Then, fate stepped in, and Dwayne's attention finally turned to the family sport - wrestling. He began his career, like many, in WWE's minor leagues. Once he'd honed his craft, he made his on-screen debut at the 1996 Survivor Series. He combined his father and grandfather's names to initially fight under the name "Rocky Miavia."
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[post_page_title]The Greatest Ever?[/post_page_title]
The Rock wasn't just an incredibly talented wrestler, he also made history just by entering the ring in the first place. Dwayne was the first third-generation wrestler in WWE's history, and even though he's now retired, many still consider him to be the greatest wrestler to ever enter the ring.
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[post_page_title]His Signature Moves[/post_page_title]
Dwayne made his mark on the ring in more ways than one and actually came up with moves of his own including the 'The People's Elbow' and 'The Rock Bottom.' All of which ultimately resulted in the Rock winning the WWE heavyweight title eight times and the tag team titles six times.
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[post_page_title]He Proved Himself On SNL[/post_page_title]
By this point, the Rock was a hit in the ring, and it wasn't just the sporting world who took notice, Hollywood did too and invited him for a stint on SNL. He smashed it too, and the ratings went through the roof. Dwayne had shown the world that he wasn't just a talented wrestler, he was a talented actor too.
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[post_page_title]The Mummy Returns[/post_page_title]
This resulted in Dwayne bagging his first professional acting gig in the 2001 movie The Mummy Returns, where he played the villainous ruler, the Scorpion King. Dwayne was paid $5.5 million for the role, which was the most any actor had ever been paid for a debut, and he went onto reprise his role as the Scorpion King in a sequel of the same name.
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Credit: Universal Pictures[/caption]
[post_page_title]His Big Break[/post_page_title]
However, even though Dwayne's role as the Scorpion King came with a big paycheque, it wasn't for another two years that people, generally speaking, accepted him as an actor. This happened with 2003's The Rundown. "The Rock has a flair for action and comedy," Rolling Stone wrote. "He's a real movie star."
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Credit: Universal Pictures[/caption]
[post_page_title]The New Schwarzenegger?![/post_page_title]
Prior to Dwayne's early foray into the world of acting, the world's best-known action hero was arguably Arnold Schwarzenegger, and even then, people thought he might just rival Arny."Whether The Rock will rival Schwarzenegger's long run as an action hero is hard to say," Ebert wrote. "But on the basis of 'The Rundown,' he has a good chance."
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[post_page_title]The Rock No More[/post_page_title]
When Dwayne's acting career took off, he realized that he was going to have to be known by his given name and not The Rock. "'The Rock' was a name, a character I created in TV," he said. "When I made the transition into film, I knew eventually I was going to be billed as my given name."
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Credit: Getty[/caption]
[post_page_title]His Acting Range[/post_page_title]
As Dwayne appeared in more movies, he showed the world that he had real range as an actor, such as when he starred in comedies like The Other Guys. "I felt there were bigger and better opportunities," Johnson said. "I also felt there was franchise potential, hopefully multiple franchises in every genre - whether drama or comedy or action-comedy."
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Credit: Columbia Pictures[/caption]
[post_page_title]But It Wasn't All Sunshine And Roses[/post_page_title]
At the MTV Movie & TV Awards, the wrestler-turned-movie star was honored with the Generation Award. The 47-year-old stunned the crowd as he recounted his rather demoralizing experience during his early days in Hollywood. When Johnson started out, he says was repeatedly told he would have to change certain aspects about himself if he wanted to make it.
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[post_page_title]They Didn't Know What To Do With Him[/post_page_title]
"When I first got to Hollywood, Hollywood - they didn’t know what the hell to do with me," he told the audience. "I was this half-black, half-Samoan, 6 foot 4, 275-pound wrestler. I was told at that time, you’ve gotta be a certain way," he revealed. "You've gotta drop some weight, you've gotta be somebody different."
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[post_page_title]Hollywood's Terrible Suggestions[/post_page_title]
"You've gotta stop working out, stop doing the things that I love, you've gotta stop calling yourself 'The Rock'. For years, I actually bought into it because you think, ‘Oh, that’s what I’m supposed to do.' And I was miserable doing that, so I made a choice. The choice was, I wasn't going to conform to Hollywood; Hollywood was going to conform to me."
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[post_page_title]He Is A First Class Dad Too[/post_page_title]
As we all know, this worked out and now Dwayne enjoys not only the spoils of being one of the world's most successful actors but fatherhood. After comfortably making the transition from greatest wrestler in the world (don't @ me) to the most bankable movie star in the world, it turns out that The Rock is a better dad than you too.
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Credit: Getty[/caption]
[post_page_title]The Baby Rock[/post_page_title]
He already has a 17-year-old daughter with ex-wife Dany Garcia, but since shackin' up with Lauren Hashian, he's come up with two more Baby Rocks for us to coo over. Baby Tiana Gia was only born in 2018, but she's already getting on handsomely with her daddy, and this conversation they had is a pretty good example of that.
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Credit: Getty[/caption]
[post_page_title]Morning Convos[/post_page_title]
"Morning convos!" Hashian captioned a post on social media, which shows The Rock and Tiana chitter-chattering away, with the tot getting to know her daddy in a deep, intellectual way.
[MediaContent]https://www.instagram.com/p/BlbB5ADnauh/[/MediaContent]
[post_page_title]The Highest-Paid Actor[/post_page_title]
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson continues to come across as one of the nicest stars in Hollywood. After making the transition from WWE legend to a star of the silver screen, he's now the highest-paid actor in the world, according to Forbes.
[caption id="attachment_1862" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
But unlike many people who make it big, the 46-year-old has not forgotten his roots, and he has shared his many millions with his nearest and dearest. Dwayne then revealed that a few weeks ago, he'd offered to buy his dad a new home anywhere he wanted to live - an offer which he says left the 74-year-old "speechless".
[MediaContent]https://www.instagram.com/p/Bueo4U4hJVr/[/MediaContent]
[post_page_title]A Present For His Dad[/post_page_title]
And now that the WWE Hall of Famer is about to start looking at properties, he said to his son, "I'm so excited and I'm so nervous," Dwayne revealed. He explained that his father was "an old school tough guy" and that he'd never heard him talk in such an emotional way before.
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Credit: Getty[/caption]
[post_page_title]Rocky Beat His A*s[/post_page_title]
He captioned the emotional clip with the following message: "He's a weathered soul and like all weathered souls, there's often a harsh storied path that got them there. Well for my pops that path started at 13yrs old when his mom kicked him out of his house on Christmas day and forced him to live on the streets (very true and f***ed up story) so his reality of compassion and love was forged thru pain and toughness."
[caption id="attachment_1864" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
[post_page_title]How The Rock Was Raised[/post_page_title]
"He raised me with that tough physical love and used to beat my ass in the gyms and on wrestling mats. I hated it then as a little boy, but grateful for it today as a man. It's shaped my DNA and helped inform how I raise my own babies (minus the ass kickings;) but always instilling the value of hard work and discipline."
[caption id="attachment_1865" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Getty[/caption]
[post_page_title]The Rock's Second Marriage[/post_page_title]
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson tied the knot with his longtime partner, Lauren Hashian, on August 18, 2019. The 47-year-old actor took to Instagram to share the news, and also posted several pictures from the special day. "We do. August 18th, 2019. Hawaii."
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[post_page_title]The Well Wishes[/post_page_title]
The pair, who have been together since 2007, have two daughters together; three-year-old Jasmine, and 15-month-old Tiana. The comments section was inundated with well-wishes from The Rock's fans. "Congratulations, you two!!! ❤️ I’m so happy for you!" wrote one social media user, while another added, "The rock gave her a rock."
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Credit: Getty[/caption]
[post_page_title]The Wedding Was Postponed[/post_page_title]
Johnson and Hashian were due to marry in the spring of 2018, but postponed the event when Hashian fell pregnant with their second child. Speaking to Rolling Stone magazine at the time, the retired professional wrestler said that his partner didn't want to have a "big belly" in her wedding photographs.
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[post_page_title]Mama Wanna Look Good[/post_page_title]
"Then we got pregnant. And Mama don't wanna take wedding pictures with a big belly – Mama wanna look good," he joked to the publication. Johnson said that they weren't "exactly" trying to conceive again, but had been "talking about it" prior to the fact.
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[post_page_title]Another Strong Girl[/post_page_title]
Speaking about the birth of his youngest child, Tiana, (he also has an 18-year-old daughter from his previous marriage to Dany Garcia) The Rock said he was "blessed and proud to bring another strong girl into this world."
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"I was raised and surrounded by strong, loving women all my life, but after participating in baby Tia’s delivery, it’s hard to express the new level of love, respect and admiration I have for and all mamas and women out there," he continued.
Hollywood star and former WWE icon Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson shocked fans this week when he unveiled a strikingly slimmer figure at the Venice Film Festival.
Known for decades as one of the most muscular men in both wrestling and film, the 53-year-old actor appeared almost unrecognisable with a leaner, toned frame that immediately set social media buzzing.
Photos and videos from the red carpet show Johnson dressed in a relaxed open-collar shirt and tailored trousers, his build noticeably different from the 300-pound powerhouse audiences have come to expect.
Reports suggest he has shed nearly 60 pounds, weighing closer to 240 lbs for his latest role.
The Rock's weight loss transformation for The Smashing Machine
Fans concerned about Johnson’s health need not worry; his weight loss is entirely intentional. The change comes as part of his preparation for The Smashing Machine, a new biographical drama in which he plays legendary MMA fighter Mark Kerr.
Unlike his superhero blockbusters that demand bulk and size, this project required him to embody Kerr’s physique: athletic, agile, and authentic to a fighter’s lifestyle.
To achieve the transformation, Johnson overhauled his famously intense diet, Men's Health detailed.
Gone were the massive cheat meals and calorie-heavy bulking routines. Instead, he adopted a strict, protein-focused, low-sugar meal plan while shifting his training toward endurance-based workouts, grappling practice, and functional conditioning.
The results speak for themselves, with Johnson now sporting a leaner, fighter-ready silhouette.
Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson looks a lot leaner than his usual self. Credit: Daniele Venturelli / WireImage / Getty Images.
Festival director Alberto Barbera praised his performance as “absolutely amazing,” even hinting that Johnson and co-star Emily Blunt, who portrays Kerr’s wife, could both find themselves in early Oscar conversations.
Fans react to The Rock's new look
Online, fans expressed a mix of disbelief and admiration. One X user wrote: “Unreal!” while another joked: “The Rock looks unrecognisable.”
Another quipped: “The Rock or The Pebble?” a tongue-in-cheek nod to his reduced size.
The comparisons didn’t stop there. Many drew parallels with fellow wrestler-turned-actor Dave Bautista, who also underwent a dramatic weight shift last year after fluctuating between 290 and 370 pounds throughout his career.
Like Bautista, Johnson appears to be proving that reinvention is possible, even after decades of being defined by sheer size.
As The Smashing Machine premieres to strong reviews in Venice, Johnson’s new look may not only redefine his career trajectory but also show audiences that even Hollywood’s biggest action stars can adapt when the role demands it.
Whether the transformation leads to awards recognition remains to be seen but one thing is certain: The Rock’s latest metamorphosis has already made headlines worldwide.
Featured image credit: Jeff Kravitz / Getty Images.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has finally addressed the reason behind his striking transformation after unveiling a slimmed-down look recently.
The Hollywood star and former WWE icon shocked fans earlier this month when he unveiled a much slimmer figure than the one we are used to at the Venice Film Festival.
Having made a name for himself as one of the most muscular men in both wrestling and film, the 53-year-old actor appeared almost unrecognisable with a leaner, toned frame.
Photos and videos from the red carpet quickly went viral as fans were taken aback by the difference in the formerly 300-pound powerhouse.
Reports suggested that Johnson had shed nearly 60 pounds, weighing closer to 240 lbs for his latest role.
While fans were initially worried about his rapid weight loss, they can be reassured that it was by design.
Dwayne Johnson's slimmer look sparked concern among fans. Credit: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for TIFF
The change comes as part of his preparation for The Smashing Machine, a new biographical drama in which he plays legendary MMA fighter Mark Kerr.
The role required Johnson to embody Kerr's physique: athletic, agile, and authentic to a fighter’s lifestyle.
To achieve the transformation, Johnson overhauled his famously intense diet, Men's Health detailed.
He replaced his usual calorie-heavy bulking routine with a strict, protein-focused, low-sugar meal plan while shifting his training toward endurance-based workouts, grappling practice, and functional conditioning.
The results speak for themselves, with Johnson now sporting a leaner, fighter-ready silhouette.
Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson looks a lot leaner than his usual self. Credit: Daniele Venturelli / WireImage / Getty Images.
Festival director Alberto Barbera praised his performance as “absolutely amazing,” even hinting that Johnson and co-star Emily Blunt, who portrays Kerr’s wife, could both find themselves in early Oscar conversations.
Online, fans expressed a mix of disbelief and admiration. One X user wrote: “Unreal!” while another joked: “The Rock looks unrecognisable.”
Another quipped: “The Rock or The Pebble?” a tongue-in-cheek nod to his reduced size.
The comparisons didn’t stop there. Many drew parallels with fellow wrestler-turned-actor Dave Bautista, who also underwent a dramatic weight shift last year after fluctuating between 290 and 370 pounds throughout his career.
Like Bautista, Johnson appears to be proving that reinvention is possible, even after decades of being defined by sheer size.
As The Smashing Machine premieres to strong reviews in Venice, Johnson's quest to get even slimmer continues.
He revealed in a recent interview that he is required to shed more muscle to play 'Chicken Man', an eccentic man in his 70s, in the upcoming film Lizard Music.
Speaking at the Toronto Film Festival Johnson admitted: "I still have a long ways to go.
"I’m so excited to get a chance to hopefully transform again like I was able to do in Smashing Machine. It means eating less chicken.”
Featured image credit: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for TIFF
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