A foot injury has forced Josh Thomson off of the upcoming Strikeforce card on September 10th in Cincinnati, Ohio. The embattled former champion had been scheduled to face Maximo “Maxi” Blanco, but he must now watch from the sidelines due to the injury. He has fought just four times in three years.

Thomson was kept out of action for nearly all of 2009 due to a broken leg and lost the Strikeforce Lightweight Championship in a rematch with Gilbert “El Niño” Melendez at the end of the year. He earned two wins in 2010, but suffered a defeat against Tatsuya “Crusher” Kawajiri on New Year’s Eve.

Thomson (18-4-0, 1 NC) had looked to take a step back towards the Strikeforce title that he once held, which currently belongs to rival Melendez. However, as a result of the untimely foot injury, he has once again suffered a significant setback and a timetable for his return is not yet known. Prior to his recent injury woes, Thomson was active and competed five times in 2006; four under the Strikeforce banner.

With his opponent out of action, it is currently unknown whether Blanco (8-2-1, 1 NC) will remain on the September 10th card. The ex-Sengoku standout and former Lightweight King of Pancrase has won six straight fights and was set to make his Strikeforce debut at the event. Veteran fighter Pat “Bam Bam” Healy has campaigned for a fight with Blanco, but the promotion has not acknowledged Thomson’s injury or announced a replacement.

Strikeforce: “Heavyweight Grand Prix Semi-Finals” takes place on September 10th at the U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio. The event features both semi-final matchups in the ongoing Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. Josh “The Warmaster” Barnett faces Sergei Kharitonov, while Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva takes on Daniel Cormier.

(Photo Credit: Sherdog.com)