Renato 'Babalu' Sobral Signs With ONE FC

Former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Renato "Babalu" Sobral (36-10) has signed with Singapore-based mixed martial arts promotion ONE Fighting Championship, according to reports from MMA Weekly. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

Sobral is expected to debut at the One FC/DREAM co-promoted event on March 31, 2012 at Kallang's Singapore Indoor Stadium. An opponent has yet to announced.

A 36-year-old veteran out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sobral has fought for a myriad of organizations since debuting in 1997, including the UFC, Strikeforce and Affliction. Despite being a one-time contender for the UFC's light heavyweight title, "Babalu" earned his Zuffa pink slip after failing to release an anaconda choke upon defeating David Heath at UFC 74.

Since then the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt has compiled at 5-2 record with notable wins over Bobby Southworth and Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou. The two defeats, however, have come in his last three contests, both of which were brutal knocks out at the hands of Gegard Mousasi and Dan Henderson in a combined two minutes and 36 seconds.