EDINBORO, Pa. (June 22, 2012) – Former Edinboro University wrestling All-American Shawn Bunch has signed a multi-fight contract with Bellator Fighting Championships.  The 29-year-old Bunch has enjoyed a highly-successful career in freestyle wrestling and will now turn his attention to mixed martial arts.

           
Bunch recently failed in his bid to make the U.S. Olympic Team, falling to Coleman Scott for the 60 kilos/132 lbs. weight class in the third and final match in their best-of-three series at the Grapple in the Apple in Times Square.  A member of the 2009 U.S. World Team, Bunch had actually qualified the weight class for the United States with a third place finish in the World Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Taiyuan, China.       

Bunch was ranked number two at 60 kg/132 lbs. on 2011-12 Freestyle Team USA.  He placed second in both the 2011 U.S. Open and the 2011 World Team Trials. He has also won two U.S. Open titles. He was an NCAA runner-up and a two-time All-American at Edinboro, concluding his career with a 132-24 record.

Bunch will debut as a bantamweight this fall, competing in an undetermined amount of non-tournament fights before getting a chance to qualify for an upcoming 135-pound tournament.