Can you imagine a fighter with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus joining the UFC roster? Well, that’s exactly what happened with Jonathan Kunneman. The fighter from Colorado was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) when he was just 11 years old. But he never really backed down and found great success in the MMA world. And now, Dana White and Co. have gifted him with a chance to prove himself in the UFC.

‘AK-47’ became a professional mixed martial artist in 2021 and has been on a winning streak ever since. He has fought under the banner of Rock FC, Alaska FC, New Line Cagefighting, MPX Promotions, and Anthony Pettis FC. He’s currently on a 10-fight winning streak, and all of his wins came from finishes. But the one thing that boggles every single mind is the fact that 9 of his finishes came within the very first round. And now, it’s time for him to show his strength in the Octagon.

Taking to Instagram, Kunneman announced, “I’m excited to announce I’ll be fighting on Dana Whites Contender Series for my 11th professional fight at the UFC apex to earn a chance at a UFC contract and further my goal of becoming the first type 1 diabetic UFC champion. Catch the fight on ESPN+ on Tuesday, August 19th. I can promise you guys every fight of mine will be pure entertainment and violence! Thank you [Mick Maynard] for giving me a chance to show my skills! You won’t be disappointed. Shoutout to everyone for the support!”

You see, type 1 diabetes is a condition where the islets of Langerhans produce little to no insulin. This means one has to manually administer insulin and keep the glycemic index in check. As a matter of fact, fluctuations in blood sugar are a huge concern for athletes with T1D. With a little bit of workout, the body can go into hypoglycemic conditions with dizziness, fatigue, and confusion setting in. And food has to be carefully curated to prevent instant hyperglycemia, which can cause severe dehydration and adversely affect an athlete’s performance. On top of that, ‘AK-47’ has to deal with continuous glucose monitoring, stick to his nutrition timing, and stay hydrated to prevent any type of complications due to sugar imbalance. 

Obviously, for someone with type 1 diabetes mellitus, fighting in the Octagon will be a pretty dangerous task. For starters, Kunneman cannot fight away from home. That’s because affecting the circadian rhythm can be detrimental to diabetic fighters. To make things worse, going on for all 3 rounds might prove dangerous for Kunneman. Not to mention gruelling weight cuts. Despite all this, he strives to become the best middleweight prospect the world has ever seen. And that has inspired the entire world. 

Taking to the comments section of the IG post, Jamahal Hill wrote, “Yes sir it’s about time LFG 👏🏾🔥.” Meanwhile, Derek Brunson, Dustin Poirier, and Aljamain Sterling dropped in a few fire emojis in the comments. Furthermore, Steve Garcia commented, “Let’s freakin go dog!🔥🙌 I’ve been waiting.” But do you know what the fighting community had to say? Let’s find out!

Fans get excited to watch fighter with T1D compete at Dana White Contender Series

Of course, Kunneman isn’t the only athlete with T1D messing up his lifestyle. Jay Cutler, Scott Verplank, Gary Hall Jr., and many others have already proven that sportsmen can’t back down from the challenges put forth by the autoimmune disorder. But Kunneman might just become the first fighter with T1D to ever step into the Octagon. And that had made the fans proud. One of the fans commented, “Congrats Jon. Proud of you!! Time to get the whole world to see what you already know 🔥🔥🔥.” Another fan added, “It’s been awesome to watch ur development over the years from a far. Ur gonna be great.” One more fan applauded ‘AK-47’ and wrote, “Yup! Dedication, hard work, 14’ers and will power! This is what it’s all about! I’m happy I joined the Gram to see things like that! Thank you, Jon!” 

With the storyline working for Kunneman, fight fans expressed huge anticipation for the middleweight’s debut. One of the fans wrote, “This is a dawg right here only the start to something special!! can’t wait to tune in🔥💪.” Another fan commented, “haven’t heard of you but can’t wait to see what you bring⁉️” One more fan claimed, “LET’S GOO! Been waiting for this day. Congrats Jon!”

Needless to say, the undefeated fighter has become a massive inspiration for the fans. After all, fighting with diabetes isn’t something that just anyone would do. One fan claimed, “you’re an inspiration to all of the T1ds like me out there,see you at the top.” Moreover, one more fan commented, “this is a really inspirational thing to see as an amateur fighter that also has T1D this gives me hope in having the same dream ill be cheering you on and repping you in evey fight possible.”

What are your thoughts on Kunneman’s debut at DWCS 2025? Do you think ‘AK-47’ can get a UFC contract through his DWCS performance? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.