Guy Fieri is pushing back after he was seen warmly greeting controversial influencers Andrew Tate and Tristan Tate at a UFC fight, insisting he had no idea who the siblings were.
The celebrity chef was spotted briefly embracing the brothers — who were accused of rape and human trafficking last year — during UFC 327 at Kaseya Center in Miami on April 11, an event that also drew high-profile attendees including President Trump.
Photos and video clips circulating on social media showed Fieri shaking Andrew Tate’s hand and bumping shoulders with him.
In response to accusations that he was aligning himself with the polarizing figures, Fieri issued a statement Tuesday denying any connection.
“I’m seeing all of your comments about the photo from Saturday’s UFC event and all I can say is that I’m devastated,” Fieri wrote on X.
“I was there to see the fights and when I was walking through the venue, the Tate brothers stood up and said hello and that’s when the exchange happened. I did not know them or about them before that moment.”
The “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” host added, “I’ll never pretend to be a perfect person but let me be crystal clear, I do not know the Tate brothers nor do I support them in any way.”
The Tate brothers are under criminal investigation in multiple countries, including the UK, where they face charges of rape and human trafficking as part of a total of 21 alleged offenses.
A Romanian court recently lifted certain preventative measures against them while the cases move forward. Both men deny all allegations.
The pair were born in the US and later moved to the UK with their mother after their parents split.
Andrew Tate, a former kickboxer, rose to public attention in 2016 when he was removed from “Big Brother” after a video surfaced appearing to show him striking a woman with a belt.
Since then, he has built a large online following — largely among young men — by promoting a lifestyle centered on wealth and hyper-masculinity.
The brothers have become closely tied to the so-called “manosphere,” an online space widely criticized for misogynistic views, and now boast a combined following of nearly 15 million users on X.
The fallout from the viral encounter appeared to have immediate consequences for Fieri.
A scheduled media appearance tied to his partnership with Waterloo Sparkling Water was canceled on April 14.
He had been expected to participate in an event marking his second year working with the company.
Fieri only recently recovered from a serious injury that sidelined him last year.
The TV host had been on crutches after slipping down a set of steps while filming “Flavortown Food Fight,” tearing his quadriceps muscle in the fall.
Earlier this year, the 58-year-old also surprised fans with a dramatically different look.
In January, he marked his birthday by appearing in an AI-generated video that showed him ditching his trademark spiky blond hair and goatee in favor of a neat brunette hairstyle and clean-shaven face.
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