Guy Fieri has hit back after he was spotted warmly greeting controversial influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate at a UFC fight, claiming he had no idea who the brothers were.
The celebrity chef was seen momentarily embracing the brothers, who were accused of rape and human trafficking last year, during the UFC 327 fight at Miami’s Caseya Center 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 hands and bumping shoulders with Andrew Tate.
Fieri responded to accusations that he was aligned with polarizing figures, issuing a statement Tuesday denying any relationship.
“I’ve been reading all of your comments on the photos from Saturday’s UFC event and all I can say is I’m devastated,” Fieri wrote in X.
“I was there to watch the game, and as I was walking through the venue, the Tate brothers stood up and said hello. That’s when the interaction happened. Until that moment, I didn’t know them or anything about them.”
The “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” host added, “I’m not going to pretend to be a perfect person by any means, but just to be clear, I don’t know the Tate brothers and I don’t support them in any way.”
The Tate brothers are under criminal investigation in multiple countries, including the UK, and have been charged with 21 counts of rape and human trafficking.
A Romanian court recently lifted certain preventive measures against them as the case progresses. Both men deny all charges.
They were both born in the United States and moved to the United Kingdom with their mother after their parents divorced.
Former kickboxer Andrew Tate gained public attention in 2016 when he was removed from Big Brother after a video surfaced showing him hitting a woman with a belt.
Since then, he has amassed a large following online, primarily among young men, by promoting a lifestyle centered around wealth and hypermasculinity.
The brothers have close ties to the so-called “manosphere,” an online space widely criticized for its misogynistic views, and now boast a combined following of nearly 15 million users on X.
The effects of the virus seem to have had an immediate impact on Fieri.
Scheduled media appearances related to the partnership with Waterloo Sparkling Water were canceled on April 14th.
He was scheduled to participate in an event to commemorate his second year with the company.
Fieri is just recovering from a serious injury sustained last year.
The TV host was on crutches after falling down a flight of stairs while filming Flavortown Food Fight in the fall, tearing his quadriceps.
Earlier this year, the 58-year-old also surprised fans with a dramatically changed look.
In January, he celebrated his birthday by appearing in an AI-generated video that showed him ditching his trademark spiky blonde hair and goatee for a neat brunette hairstyle and clean-shaven face.
