Heather Hardy defeats Ana Julaton at Bellator 194. Next up: The Boxing Ring

It may not have been like everyone had hoped, but a win is a win. Heather Hardy avenged her Bellator 185 loss by winning her second professional MMA fight over fellow boxer Ana Julaton at Bellator 194. In a fight  defined as polarizing, “The Heat” won via unanimous decision 30-27, 30-27, 29-28.

Bellator 194 took place inside the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. It was the same arena in which Hardy (2-1 MMA, 20-0 (1) boxing) and Julaton (2-4 MMA, 14-4-1 boxing) both lost their respective fights at Bellator 185. They looked for some measure of revenge, and they almost got it. Hardy certainly improved since her last two bouts, attempting to submit Julaton at several points throughout the contest. While she slowed Julaton down, Hardy couldn’t quite get the job done. The clinching by Julaton didn’t help the fights favor, or her’s. She has now lost four of her last five MMA fights.

After smack talk dominated the lead up to the fight, the time almost came for action. Hardy had enough motivation, especially after losing 20% of her purse from the fight due to a controversial weigh-in. While she didn’t knock her out, Hardy looked aggressive early on. Her defense also improved, as she even put her hands up to block key attacks. That was something she rarely did against Kristina Williams. While the fans let them have it after by calling it a lackluster affair, it had it’s fair share of moments.

In the end, two inexperienced (compared to most) MMA fighters were able to grow as competitors. It takes time to evolve in a sport like this. Hardy and Julaton have a long way to go, but there is promise in their potential.

What’s next for Heather Hardy and Ana Julaton? The boxing ring actually. The two made an agreement to face off in the octagon and the boxing ring. The bout does not have a designated date or location, but we can most likely expect it to be in Hardy’s domain of Brooklyn. While the fight inside the octagon wasn’t “sexy” for fans, one can only imagine what two fighters will do to one another in a sport they are more comfortable in.