Former Saved by the Bell actor and TV personality Mario Lopez shared a video of him sitting next to UFC president Dana White at a Power Slap event in Las Vegas. He tells his fans that “these big ole’ dudes are going smack the crap out of each other.”
Lopez added, “And the place is sold out,” and pans the crowd and catches his wife, actress and fellow TV personality Courtney Lopez, sitting next to him. He smiles, “She’s getting ready to slap me.”
We’re pulling a double-header in Vegas! Power Slap tonight & UFC tomorrow… @DanaWhite#ChingasosAllWeekend #PowerSlap #UFC313 pic.twitter.com/phwTDK7omJ
— Mario Lopez (@mariolopezviva) March 8, 2025
At another UFC 313 event, Lopez was seen giving a hug to Andrew Tate, the social media influencer who faces human trafficking charges and was just returned to the United States from incarceration in Romania. Many of Lopez’s fans are voicing their disappointment. As one replied: “Mario Lopez, once the darling guy of tv. No more. This is purely disgusting.”
Mario Lopez, a huge UFC fan, gives a bro hug to Andrew Tate last night in Las Vegas. pic.twitter.com/7D4MzJrbxo
— Yashar Ali
(@yashar) March 9, 2025
Note: Andrew Tate’s brother, Tristan Tate, who also faces trafficking charges, was at the event, too. Both Tate brothers, who have denied all wrongdoing in the case, left Romania and arrived in Florida in February. Florida’s attorney general announced that he has opened a criminal investigation into the brothers.
Lopez is receiving more backlash on X after sharing a drawing of a man returning home from work being greeted at the door by his two young children with his wife sitting on the sofa with a book. It’s captioned: “This is what wealth in 2025 looks like.”
— Mario Lopez (@mariolopezviva) March 8, 2025
More than one replied with the word “misogyny,” and others are replying with the video of him hugging Tate, “Is that what the Tate brothers believe too?” and with sarcasm, “A real family man.”
Note: Lopez’s wife is also a breadwinner and often works with her husband. While promoting their holiday movie on the Christian network Great American Family in December (see below), Lopez admitted that “there are challenges working with his ‘wildly talented’ wife.”
Mario Lopez admits there are challenges working with ‘wildly talented’ wife Courtney Lopez https://t.co/5GsB9tHaxH pic.twitter.com/jVqjN6O6PX
— New York Post (@nypost) December 16, 2024