Voelker after defeating Roger Bowling (photo via Esther Lin / Strikeforce)

By Kelsey Mowatt

Strikeforce’s Bobby Voelker was understandably eager to fight welterweight prospect Nah-Shon Burrell this Saturday in San Jose, not only because the 33 year-old vet was hoping to extend his win streak to four, but because he hasn’t fought in over ten months.

Unfortunately for Voelker, however, a recent knee injury not only pulled the surging fighter from the card, but it could be another, agonizing six months before he fights again.

“Three weeks ago I was training, and I got taken down, got back up, and we were going a little bit harder than when we planned on going, I don’t know why, and I got pulled down again,” Voelker told FCF while recalling the circumstance that surrounded the injury. “My leg kind of stayed one way as my body went down and I popped my knee out.”

“I got an MRI and it showed that I have a torn ACL and a partially torn MCL,” Voelker furthered. “I had to go through surgery the following week so obviously I can’t fight.”

Now, Voelker will have to wait on the sidelines before he can look to build upon the second round, stoppage victory he secured over Roger Bowling last June. The pivotal, rubber match win came nine months after Voelker’s previous outing, which was another TKO victory over the highly regarded Bowling in October, 2010.

“I’m just going off what the doctors are saying, and they’re saying that the rehab will take about four months and that they’re hoping I can back in there fighting in six months,” Voelker noted. “If sooner, than great, but I’m not trying to rush it. I just want to make sure it’s 100%.”

As a result of injuries and scheduling, Voelker (24-8) has fought just once since 2010, when he managed to compete three times.

“It was extremely frustrating,” said Voelker, who relayed to FCF before the injury just how excited he was to be fighting again. “With what we do, with MMA, these things happen, you get discouraged, you get down, but all you can do is sit down, heal and come back. There’s nothing I can really do about this one.”

“I have to let it heal, so I can get it back into shape, but boy, it’s not fun being down and out like this.”

Thankfully for Voelker, despite his recent inactivity in terms of fighting, the vet has his career in construction to fall back on.

“I’m definitely grateful that I’ve learned a trade and everything,” said Voelker, who hopes to return to his day job within the next week or two. “I hear a lot of fighter’s stories who say ‘hey, if I don’t have a fight I don’t have anything to live on.’ A lot of guys end up borrowing money, but I’m still able to work and have a profession. I can survive okay without fighting.”

“Fighting is still the love of my life,” Voelker added, who has gone 4-1 to date in Strikeforce action, with additional wins coming over Erik Apple and Cory Devala. “It’s what I want to do, but at least I have something else to fall back on.”

And what kind of match-up is Voelker hoping to encounter when he returns to action?

“Once I’m healed I know I’ll be hungry to get back in there and I’ll be ready to go,” Voelker said. “What ever it takes for me to get back into that title contention; whatever it takes to get back to the top. That’s the fight that I want.”