Veronica Rothlenhauser Riding a Freight Train into Invicta FC 6 Bout

Having to drop out of a fight for the first time in her professional career, women’s 145-pound up-and-comer Veronica “Heartbreaker” Rothlenhauser was not pleased, but ultimately feels it may have helped in the long run.

“I wasn’t going to pull out from the fight. I still planned on fighting, but once they (pulled my opponent at Invicta FC 5 to replace another fighter on the card) I decided to get an MRI on my knee,” said Rothlenhauser. “I told them the situation and Janet (Martin) and I decided to wait until this card to have this fight.

“At Team Alpha Male, if there’s a fight camp, it’s no joke. Once you’re in the midst of it, it’s for real. That sucked being a week out, but I think everything happens for a reason.”

The time off allowed Rothlenhauser to work more extensively with Alpha Male’s newest coaching addition, UFC veteran Duane “Bang” Ludwig.

“This has been the best camp I’ve ever had,” she said. “Rehab went great and everything went well and I’ve never felt better, stronger or faster, and I can’t wait to show that in this fight.

“We added Duane Ludwig back in January and he has improved my game 10-fold. He has just taken what I have and has molded it into something I’m very excited to showcase. I have power, strength, reach, and he’s taught me how to put it all together and tighten everything up.”

Rothlenhauser will get an opportunity to face the fighter she was initially scheduled to fight back in April, Mollie Estes, at the upcoming Invicta FC 6 event in Kansas City, live on PPV.

“Mollie’s a tough girl, but with everything that Duane and all the guys have put into my training, I feel like a freight train right now,” Rothlenhauser told MMAWeekly.com. “I’m not stopping.

“She’s got a good clinch game, but I feel really confident in that area because I’m six feet tall and have got really long legs for my clinch game and I’m ready to go out there and make a statement. Yeah, I can knock girls out, but I can also demonstrate my strength and powers in other ways as well.”

Considering the depth of Invicta’s 145-pound division, Rothlenhauser could have a myriad of match-ups against top opposition like Julia Budd, Ediene Gomes, Marloes Coenen or Cris “Cyborg” Justino in the coming years, but she’s patient to let those things come when they do and not rush into anything too soon.

“I really don’t judge where I’m at on the other fighters,” said Rothlenhauser. “What they do is their thing, and for me this is about me. So I’m going to do what I need to do and win. When Shannon and Janet feel like that’s what they want to make happen, I’m game for it.”