HEATHER HARDY WILL face Ana Julaton in a two-fight deal which will see the pair square off in the cage at Bellator 194 before having a rematch in the boxing ring later this year.

Brooklyn’s Hardy, who holds a 20-fight undefeated boxing record, suffered a shock defeat to Kristina Williams in her sophomore MMA bout at Bellator 185 last October, but will make her return to the sport versus former WBO World super-bantamweight boxing champion Julaton of the Philippines on 16 February.

Filipino Julaton has an MMA record of 2-3 having also suffered defeat at Bellator 185 – hers to Lisa Blaine by decision.

The first leg of Hardy-Julaton has officially been added to the main card of Bellator’s Roy ‘Big Country’ Nelson vs Matt ‘Meathead’ Mitrione at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut next month, and will precede the card’s co-main event of Patricky ‘Pitbull’ versus Derek Campos.

Nelson and Mitrione previously clashed in The Ultimate Fighter 16 finale, with ‘Big Country’ emerging victorious via a first-round technical knockout.

It’s understood that Hardy’s boxing promoter, Lou DiBella, will take the reins for her boxing rematch with Julaton some time after the duo clash at next month’s Bellator event.

‘The Heat’ had recently been mooted as a long-shot option to face Ireland’s Katie Taylor in 2018. Victory over former world champion Julaton on her ring return would move that clash a step closer regardless of how things transpire in the cage in February.