Volleyball to Fighting, Veronica Rothenhausler Intends to Make Big Impact at Invicta FC 4

For Veronica Rothenhausler being a fighter is just a natural progression of her love of sports.

Having previously starred in team sports such as volleyball and basketball, the six-foot-tall, 145-pound Rothenhausler has been able to take her athletic skills from group games to the individual world of fighting with great success, going 3-0 in her amateur career.

“I’ve been on a team, and this is kind of my first opportunity to experience an individual sport, and once I started doing it, I love it,” said Rothenhausler. “My first night I knocked some guy’s mouthpiece out of his mouth and thought how awesome that it is that people got to do this for a living, and I just kept going.

“Now I can finally use my size and height for a huge advantage. Most girls are five-foot-seven or five-foot-eight so (my height advantage) has played a big part, especially in my last couple fights. They both went the same: I came out with my jab then threw an overhand right and knocked them both out in five seconds.”

Having fought a total of 2:10 in her three amateur fights, it became clear that Rothenhausler would be ready to step up to the pros when she got the call to fight at the upcoming Invicta 4 event in Kansas City, Kan., on Jan. 5.

“My first fight sealed the deal for me, and I just knew that I wanted competition, I wanted more,” she said. “I feel like I’m a warrior and I’m meant to be in battle. I want to face better competition and since I’m going to dedicate my whole life towards fighting, it was only logical to take that next step.”

A move to Team Alpha Male several months ago has paid off for Rothenhausler as she feels she’s twice the fighter she was before joining the team.

It’s that additional growth that could come in handy as Rothenhausler faces the toughest competition of her career so far in fellow knockout artist Katalina Malungahu on Jan. 5.

“I feel very confident and pumped to face her. I was reading an interview where she was predicting a first-round knockout, and I think she’s absolutely right; she didn’t specify who that’d be, but I promise you that I’ll be walking out of the cage with my hand up,” said Rothenhausler.

“My striking is better than hers, and I feel I’m the strongest, fastest and most powerful that I’ve ever been. I’m feeling dangerous and I’m out to hurt somebody, and if she’s the one to step in the cage with me, she’s the one who is going to end up getting hurt.”

With so much buzz surrounding her, it would be easy for Rothenhausler to overlook her first pro fight, but she told MMAWeekly.com that won’t happen.

“I’m not looking past Invicta. Right now, this is where women are at; this is center stage for us,” she said. “My goal would be just to give it my all, and as long as I give it my best, that’s all I really care about.

“I’m very excited to see where it’s going to take me. I’ve been working very hard and my passion for this sport along with my talent is going to take me places. It’s going to be awesome.”

(Photo courtesy of Invicta FC)