As expected former UFC heavyweight Jake O'Brien has signed with the California-based Palace Fighting Championship.

The organization made the announcement on Thursday.

Last month MMAjunkie.com reported that O'Brien had been released from the UFC after his first career loss and had agreed in principle to a two-fight deal with the PFC. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"We are very excited to bring in one of the most promising young heavyweights in the country," said PFC President Christian Printup. "He's proven himself at the sports highest level... Jake is a great wrestler with solid boxing skills. A lot of people haven't seen that, but we want to put him in some fights where he can show it."

With an upset victory over Herring in January 2007, O'Brien pushed his UFC record to 4-0. However, a few months after the fight, he underwent surgery because of "stingers," a painful nerve injury that originates in the spine. O'Brien went under the knife, and doctors entered through his neck to implant a medal rod and cadaver discs in his spine. At first, doctors feared the injury might be career-ending.

However, O'Brien underwent physical therapy and returned from a 14-month layoff to fight Andrei Arlovski, a former UFC title - holder and one of the world's top - ranked heavyweight fighters, at UFC 82: Pride of a Champion in March. Despite a competitive first round, O'Brien ultimately suffered a second - round TKO - and his first career loss.

He then became the first of what's quickly become a growing number of cuts from the UFC's roster of fighters.

The PFC also today announced the signings of EliteXC/King of the Cage veteran Jaime Jara, Dustin Akbari and Tito Jones. Akabari and Jones train at Urijah Faber's gym, Ultimate Fitness, in Sacramento, California.

Source: mmajunkie.com