Henry Cejudo's comments at an event for Republican candidate Kari Lake may have given his "King of Cringe" persona a new meaning.

To show his support for the prospective governor of Arizona, Cejudo was asked to speak at a gathering named "Friday Night Fight Night with Kari Lake" as a guest speaker.

The former UFC champion stated in his statement that he is "first and foremost American" and that he will never be seen waving a Mexican flag.

"My message today, guys - as a Latino-American - because first and foremost I'm American... I was born in this country. I was raised in this country. You guys will me - as much as I love my culture - you guys will never see me with a Mexican flag," he said during his time on the podium.

Social media backlash for Cejudo

Despite the fact that Cejudo's claims are patently incorrect, MMA fans are already criticizing him on Twitter. Additionally, internet users are perplexed as to why Cejudo unnecessarily chose to downplay his Mexican origin in order to emphasize how pleased he is to be an American.

A fan who goes under the Twitter handle @FullContactMTWF made the observation that Cejudo's claims were outright lies. The Twitter user shared a picture of "Triple C" displaying the Mexico flag with pride.

In the upcoming 2022 race for governor of Arizona, Republican nominee Kari Lake has received Henry Cejudo's official endorsement.