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

By FCF Staff

Yet another of Strikeforce’s top fighters is headed to the UFC and is confirmed for an upcoming bout, as today the promotion announced that welterweight Bobby Voelker will fight Patrick Cote on March 16th. The news comes just days after Cote relayed that he is dropping down from middleweight to compete in the 170 pound division.

Voelker (24-8) hasn’t competed since July, 2011, when he stopped Roger Bowling for the second time at a Strikeforce Challengers event. The 33 year-old vet, who is 4-1 in his last five bouts, hasn’t competed in 2012 due to a knee injury.

Cote (18-8) was scheduled to rematch Alessio Sakara at UFC 158 on March 16th, after the latter was disqualified for hitting Cote in the back of the head at UFC 154. A kidney issue, however, forced Sakara to withdraw from the upcoming event.

As a result, Cote decided that now is the time to make the move to welterweight, which the former middleweight contender relayed he has been considering doing for some time.

UFC 158 will be hosted by Montreal’s Bell Centre and will feature welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre versus Nick Diaz in the main event.