Undefeated boxer Heather Hardy wins by TKO in MMA debut at Bellator 180

Heather Hardy is now undefeated in both boxing and MMA.

But she definitely had to work for it.

"The Heat" overcame a game Alice Yauger and a late cut caused by an accidental headbutt to pick up a TKO win with just 13 seconds remaining in the opening flyweight bout of Bellator 180 at Madison Square Garden on Saturday.

It was Hardy's first professional MMA fight after going 20-0 as a boxer, and the finish couldn't have been sweeter for the 35-year-old who hails from Brooklyn.

Hardy received a warm ovation from the hometown crowd, but neither that reaction or Hardy's reputation deterred "The Soccer Mom" from going toe to toe with her. After a back-and-forth first round, it was Hardy who was sporting a bloody nose despite appearing to have the edge on the scorecards.

The second round was more clearly in Hardy's favor as she found a home for her jab and overhand right, though Yauger scored points in the clinch with hard knees to the body. Hardy opened Round 3 with a knockdown and was starting to pull away when Yauger accidentally clipped her with a headbutt that opened a gash over Hardy's left eye that the cutmen quickly cleaned up.

Hardy scored another knockdown and showed signs of her boxing instincts as she waited for Yauger to stand so that she could batter her on the feet again. A late flurry forced referee "Big" John McCarthy to step in and wave off the fight at the 4:47 mark of the final frame.

Related - Heat check: Hardy looks to prove herself all over again in Bellator debut