Henry Cejudo answers the burning question of why he doesn't call himself Mexican despite being proud of heritage: "Look what President Trump is doing"

Henry Cejudo recently shared his thoughts on why he identifies as an American while still being proud of his Mexican heritage. The former two-division champion is set to face Song Yadong at a UFC Fight Night event in Seattle on Feb. 22 despite the promotion also having an event scheduled for Mexico City on March 29.

In a recent interview with Home of Fight, Jake Noecker asked Cejudo why he decided not to compete on the UFC Mexico card. Cejudo, who has not fought in Mexico for nearly a decade, responded:

"Because I am a proud American."

Although Cejudo has Mexican roots, he is not usually associated with the Mexican fan base and is not grouped with other champions of Mexican origin, such as Brandon Moreno, Cain Velasquez, and Alexa Grasso, among others. In the past, he has indicated that Mexican fans do not tend to like him.

When asked for his thoughts on this, Cejudo explained:

"Because I was born in the US, raised in the US. It's a simple fact that, I say I'm an American, they don't like it. Then I represented the United States at the Olympics, at the highest level. I'm just a patriot dude."

He added:

"I just think it's unfortunate because I love my heritage, bro. I think people take that sh** the wrong way, man! I love my Mexican heritage - My mom, rice and beans... My heart's probably a little more Latino than anything. But, I'm just grateful for my country, bro. What our forefathers have done for us... I mean look what President Trump is doing."

Cejudo criticized Mexican-origin activists for allegedly burning the American flag, reinforcing his support for American values and the principles of the nation.

Check out Henry Cejudo's comments below (0:35):

Henry Cejudo represented the United States at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he won a gold medal in freestyle wrestling. After transitioning to MMA, he went on to win the UFC flyweight and bantamweight titles.

The 38-year-old has frequently credited the United States for his success, stating that he embodies the concept of the 'American Dream.' In honor of the country, he named his daughter, born in Nov. 2021, America Maria.