Jessica-Rose Clark: The Purple Belt Who Beat Paige VanZant

Jessica-Rose Clark spent most of her career being underestimated on paper. She was a purple belt taking on black belts and decorated judo standouts. She kept winning fights anyway, using grappling that consistently outperformed her official rank on the ground.

Who Is Jessica-Rose Clark?

Jessica-Rose Clark was born on November 28, 1987, in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. She fought professionally under the nickname "Jessy Jess." She built her early career on the Australian regional circuit before reaching the UFC's women's bantamweight and flyweight divisions (Wikipedia).

How She Started

Clark came up through Australian MMA gyms. She developed a well-rounded striking and grappling game there. It was good enough to win three separate Australian 135lb regional titles, including the XFC Australia Bantamweight Championship. She built that résumé before she ever signed with a major international promotion.

Competitive Record and Notable Wins

Clark's professional MMA record stands at 11 wins and 9 losses, with 1 no contest (Wikipedia). Her two most notable UFC wins came against Paige VanZant and Bec Rawlings. Both were high-profile names in the division at the time. Those results punched well above what her purple belt rank might suggest to fans who don't know how effective a well-drilled grappling game can be, regardless of formal rank. Her UFC run ended in 2023, after her contract wasn't renewed following a loss to Tainara Lisboa. She's since moved into the Dirty Boxing format, debuting with two straight wins in 2025.

Fighting Style: Grappling That Outpunches the Belt

Clark holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. She currently trains with Team Ferreira BJJ. Her fighting style leans heavily on that ground game. She uses clinch entries, scrambles, and submission threats to control fights against opponents with more decorated grappling résumés on paper. It's a good reminder that competitive results, not just belt color, are often the clearer signal of a grappler's real skill. Our purple belt guide covers what that rank typically represents, and why the gap to black belt is often wider than people assume.

Legacy and Current Status

Clark is no longer active in the UFC as of 2023. She remains a recognizable name from the promotion's mid-2010s to early-2020s women's divisions, though. Her 2025 move into Dirty Boxing shows she's still actively competing, rather than having stepped away from combat sports for good.

Frequently Asked Questions

What BJJ belt does Jessica-Rose Clark hold? Purple belt, and she currently trains with Team Ferreira BJJ.

What is Jessica-Rose Clark's MMA record? 11 wins, 9 losses, and 1 no contest across her professional career.

Who are Jessica-Rose Clark's most notable wins? Paige VanZant and Bec Rawlings, both wins that came in the UFC's women's divisions.

Is Jessica-Rose Clark still fighting? She's no longer with the UFC as of 2023, but she debuted in the Dirty Boxing format in 2025 with two consecutive wins.

The Bottom Line

Jessica-Rose Clark never had the flashiest belt on paper. Her results speak louder than the rank, though. Wins over Paige VanZant and Bec Rawlings proved her grappling could compete with anyone. Her move into Dirty Boxing shows she's still finding new ways to compete, years into her career.