Brazilian fighter Paula Bittencourt captured the Dirty Boxing Championship women’s bantamweight title at DBX 5 on January 30, 2026, defeating UFC veteran Jessica Rose-Clark via split decision at the Bayou Music Center in Houston, Texas.

Watch: Paula Bittencourt vs. Jessica Rose-Clark

Bittencourt, who represents the renowned Nova Uniao team in Rio de Janeiro, entered the bout as the challenger against Clark, who held a perfect 2-0 record in the Dirty Boxing format. The 30-year-old Brazilian improved her overall MMA record to 7-3 with the victory, which marks her first championship in the Mike Perry-founded promotion.

Clark, a 37-year-old Australian who fought out of Syndicate MMA, had compiled a 4-5 record during her UFC tenure before transitioning to the Dirty Boxing format in 2025. The former flyweight and bantamweight contender had previously defeated Marilia Morais and Claudia Zamora in her first two DBX appearances, both by unanimous decision.

The main event fight took place under Dirty Boxing Championship’s hybrid ruleset, which combines elements of boxing and mixed martial arts. Competitors wear four-ounce gloves and can use hand strikes, elbows, spinning backfists, and standing ground and pound inside an 18-foot ring. The format prohibits takedowns, throws, clinching for extended periods, and all kicking techniques.​

DBX 5 marked the promotion’s fifth event since its 2024 launch by former UFC and BKFC fighter Mike Perry, who founded the organization alongside First Round Management, which also represents fighters including Jon Jones and Ilia Topuria. The promotion streams its events free on YouTube and has positioned itself as an alternative combat sport designed to deliver continuous action without the grappling exchanges found in traditional MMA.​

Clark entered the bout with momentum from her previous DBX victories and carried experience from nine UFC appearances between 2017 and 2023. Her UFC career included notable wins over Paige VanZant and Sarah Alpar, though she finished with three consecutive submission losses before departing the promotion.

Bittencourt, fighting out of Belem, Para, Brazil, brought a background that included appearances in Bellator, Invicta FC, Shooto Brasil, and UAE Warriors. Her most recent performance before DBX 5 came at Invicta FC 59 in December 2024, where she defeated Alejandra Lara by split decision.

The judges ultimately awarded Bittencourt the split decision victory, crowning her the inaugural DBX women’s bantamweight champion. The result ended Clark’s undefeated run in the Dirty Boxing format and established Bittencourt as the promotion’s first female titleholder at 135 pounds.