Karina Rodriguez feels big things could be on her horizon if all goes right in her next trip to the cage.
The Invicta FC flyweight champion makes her first title defense this Wednesday night in the main event of Invicta FC 46, which live streams on MMA Junkie. Rodriguez (9-6) takes on Daiana Torquato (10-4) in an immediate rematch. The Mexican fighter was originally scheduled to take on Ketlen Souza, but the Brazilian had to withdraw due to undisclosed reasons.
Either way, Rodriguez hopes to get the UFC call if successful in her first title defense.
“I would love to fight in a bigger promotion like the UFC and I feel like I have everything necessary to perform in that organization and give a good performance,” Rodriguez told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “I’d like to close my career in that organization. I’d love to have that opportunity, but first is winning this title defense.
“I feel like by making this title defense more opportunities could open up, so I can make that long-awaited UFC debut. Hopefully, it happens.”
It’s no secret many of the Invicta FC champions end up in the UFC at some point in their careers due to the significance and prestige of winning an Invicta FC title in women’s MMA.
The 36-year-old feels more than ready to step in the octagon and she’s looking to prove it against Torquato.
“I’m ready and I feel like I can prove it in the cage,” Rodriguez said. “I can have very good fights in the UFC. Right now, I’m working on having more weapons in my arsenal and I’ll show that in this title defense. I want to be a more complete fighter and not just be seen as a striker. I want to take the fight to other areas, so I can showcase my complete work in MMA.”
Despite dreaming of making it in the premier MMA organization, Rodriguez is also focusing on not looking past her opponent and also enjoying this chapter of her career as Invicta FC champion.
“Every fight has its nerves, it’s just ups and downs,” Rodriguez said. “For every fight sometimes you’re super chill, super calm and then in other moments, the nerves kick in. It’s no different than any other fight as far as emotions.
“What I do want to do is enjoy the moment come fight night. The truth is that whenever I’ve been at my best, it’s when I’m enjoying the fight the most, when I’m the least worried about the result, and less worried about what’s next. So when I’m there in the moment enjoying, that’s when I get the best results and performances. I want to be there. I want to be in the moment. I don’t want to focus on what’s next. I want to be in the present.”
