"Let me be crystal clear, I do not know the Tate brothers nor do I support them in any way," the Food Network star said
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/guy-fieri-tristan-andrew-tate-41426-3383e9119900436e8d4c1e401a71f5d5.jpg "Guy Fieri, Tristan Tate, Andrew Tate")
Credit: Jaime Schultz/Shutterstock; Julia Demaree Nikhinson - Pool/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Guy Fieri was filmed greeting Andrew and Tristan Tate at a UFC fight in Miami on Saturday, April 11
- The Food Network star faced backlash on social media for the interaction with the accused sexual assaulters
- On Tuesday, April 14, Fieri issued a statement, claiming he does not know who the brothers are and is not associated with them
Guy Fieri is responding to backlash after he was photographed and filmed greeting accused sexual assaulters Andrew and Tristan Tate at a UFC fight.
The Food Network star, 58, attended a UFC 327 fight at Kaseya Center in Miami on Saturday, April 11. There, he was seen shaking hands with Andrew, 39, and Tristan, 37, prompting a series of social media users to share their disappointment with the celebrity chef. President Donald Trump also attended the fight on Saturday, April 11.
Fieri issued a statement on Tuesday, April 14, clarifying he does not know the Tate brothers. "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," his X statement began.
"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 exchanged happened. I did not know them or about them before that moment," Fieri wrote.
He concluded his post reiterating he is not associated with the Tate brothers: "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."
Following Fieri's statement, his upcoming media appearance on Thursday, April 16, was canceled. He was set to join select media at an event for Waterloo Sparkling Water, to celebrate his second year of partnership with the beverage brand. The event was canceled on Tuesday, April 14.
Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty
The Tate brothers are known for a brand of toxic masculinity among their massive social media following in the “manosphere,” a community known for promoting misogyny. They have nearly combined 15 million followers on X.
Their content includes sexist statements, hate speech, and over-the-top displays of wealth. Andrew has faced backlash for his statements that women “belong” to men and “bear some responsibility” for being raped, according to The New York Times, as well as claiming that men are the victims of feminism and that there is a conspiracy to subdue men's success.
Credit: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda
Currently, they face a total of 21 criminal charges, including rape and human trafficking, which they have denied.
As their content has become more popular, the pair were arrested in connection with human trafficking, rape and forming an organized crime ring in Romania in December 2022. The Tate brothers were held in a Romanian prison until March 2023, when they were released on house arrest.
They were officially charged in June 2023. Andrew was indicted on charges of rape, human trafficking and forming a criminal group to sexually exploit women, while Tristan was charged with human trafficking, forming a criminal group and inciting others to violence, per CNN. Andrew and Tristan's attorney denied all of the allegations.
Less than a year later, in March 2024, Andrew and Tristan were arrested in Romania on a U.K. warrant relating to charges of “sexual aggression” that allegedly occurred between 2012 and 2015. Andrew was accused by four women of alleged sexual violence and physical abuse, reported to the authorities in the U.K.
The authorities did not prosecute him at the time, but the women then launched a crowdfunding effort to cover the legal costs associated with pursuing a civil case against him, the Associated Press reported. At the time, Andrew and Tristan “unequivocally deny all allegations and decry what they perceive as an exploitative use of the legal system," the brothers' spokesperson said.
Since their travel restrictions were lifted, they landed in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Feb. 27, 2025. Upon their return, they filed a motion seeking a temporary restraining order against a woman whom they claimed falsely accused them of holding her captive in Romania. They now face an ongoing defamation lawsuit in the Palm Beach Circuit Court.
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If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.
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