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

By Kelsey Mowatt

After losing four straight and exiting from the UFC last year, Bobby Voelker credits taking a page out of his old playbook, for the recent wins he’s scored.

Voelker is preparing to fight Mike Estus in the main event of Shamrock FC’s next event, which will take place in Kanas City, Missouri on September 26th. Recently Voelker appeared on “Full Contact Fighter Radio”, and when asked what’s behind his recent victories, “Vicious” said the following:

“Just kind of getting back to my roots, getting back to my old ways, my old way of fighting and my mindset,” said Voelker. “Making my mind right is what’s kind of come about for these last couple of fights and my success in them. That’s kind of what I owe it to.”

Voelker moved to the UFC in 2013, armed with a three fight winning streak he put together, while competing under the Strikeforce banner. While the only man to stop Voelker during his UFC run was reigning welterweight champ Robbie Lawler, clearly things didn’t go as according to plan for the rugged vet.

“I got to the UFC and I was like okay, I probably need to be more of a thinker, more of a chess player out there, and that’s just not my way,” said Voelker, while reflecting on his time with the UFC. “My way is to get out there; get after it. When I started thinking too much about what to do when I was out there, they would beat me to the punch, they would beat me to the kick, they would beat me to the step. I felt like that was a big problem.”

“They’re all great fighters and it could have gone either way of course,” added Voelker, was also defeated by Lance Benoist, Patrick Cote and William Macario with the UFC. “I just think I was definitely my own worst enemy, so I’m ready to get back out there and do what I do best. Just get in there and be instinctive with it all and just drop those bombs.”

In Estus, Voelker (26-12) will face a  man who is coming off a submission win over Kevin Tjaden, after going 0-2 with Bellator.

“I don’t know a whole lot about him,” said Voelker. “I watched a couple of his videos, his tape. Saw that he’s a 7-2 guy, fought for Bellator, had a couple of losses there. Looks like he’s just a real tough Iowa boy you know? Those Iowa boys, they’re always tough, so I plan on him coming out and, you know, wanting to throw some bombs, wanting to throw some kicks, probably mix it up, probably go for the takedown. Whatever he’s going to try to do I’ll be ready for it, and I’m going to do it even better.”