Heather Hardy to make MMA debut in June Bellator card

[MMALOPEZ]

Unbeaten top contender Heather Hardy will go from the boxing ring to the cage in mixed martial arts on June 24, when she makes her MMA debut for the Bellator promotion.


Hardy, 35, is 20-0 (4 KO) in her pro boxing career, and is a familiar name on New York area cards. The Brooklyn fighter has been a regular on shows at the Barclays Center, and has never fought outside of New York. She’s known as a legitimate drawing card for the shows she appears on, making her an attractive addition to the Bellator 180 event at Madison Square Garden. It will be her first time fighting at MSG.

Hardy will be facing Alice Yauger (4-5), who is coming off of a loss in her last fight. Hardy is expected to remain active in both sports going forward, rather than going from boxing to MMA full time, as was the case with Holly Holm, the former boxing champion who went on to become a champion in UFC, and was the first fighter to defeat Ronda Rousey in 2015.

Hardy was previously scheduled to fight for the Invicta promotion in January, but her fight there fell through due to a late injury to opponent Brieta Carpenter. That opened her up in terms of MMA free agency, and allowed her to make this deal with Bellator.

 

[Sano]

35 years old, only 4 stoppages in her career, probably haven't practiced grappling and kickboxing for very long. Doesn't bode well.

 

[MMALOPEZ]

35 years old, only 4 stoppages in her career, probably haven't practiced grappling and kickboxing for very long. Doesn't bode well.

She is a student of Renzo Gracie NY academy

 

[Sano]

She is a student of Renzo Gracie NY academy

Doesn't really mean anything. Guess we'll see, hope she does well.

 

[AGEZ909]

Don't know too much about her. Saw one of her boxing matches. Wasn't too impressed, but she does have better hands than most female mma fighters so there's that.

Smart signing by Bellator though, as she is supposed to be a big local fighter. Someone to draw a decent crowd.

I hope she has been training some grappling as well.

 

[shococham]

I've Hard-ly sorry can't help myself

 

[GoldenAzazel]

Looked up her record and apparently competes at Featherweight. Is the female weight class of Featherweight in boxing the same as the mens or do they change it up for females?

 

[FrontNakedChoke]

Doesn't really mean anything. Guess we'll see, hope she does well.

Well it means she's practiced grappling, which you suggested she hadn't.

 

[Sano]

Well it means she's practiced grappling, which you suggested she hadn't.

I said "for that long", as in she's probably not a very experienced grappler. Her being afiiliated with the Renzo Gracie NY academy doesn't necessarily mean she's a good MMA grappler, or even pure grappler.

Still just a guestimate, we'll see.

 

[tehMoose]

I like what Bellator is doing.

 

[thatdude21601]

Her opponent doesn't make any sense. Not good enough to be any value to Bellator's division, but experienced enough to mangle someone who started grappling in fall 2016.