Name Carey Vanier
Nickname N/A
Association [[Greg Jackson’s MMA]]
Weight Class Lightweight (155 lbs.)
Height 5′ 9″ (176 cm.)
Style Wrestling
Birth Date August 3, 1981
Fighting Out Of Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
Country USA
Carey Vanier Pictures Official Website

”’Carey D. Vanier Sr.”’ is an American mixed martial arts fighter. He fought for Bellator Fighting Championships in their lightweight tournament.

== Professional Record ==

Record 10 – 4 – 0 (Win â€Â“ Loss â€Â“ Draw)
Wins 5 (T)KOs
3 Submissions
2 Decisions
Losses 2 (T)KOs
2 Submissions
0 Decisions
Result Opponent Method Event Title Date Round Time Notes
Loss Lloyd Woodard TKO (Punches) BFC Bellator Fighting Championships 36 3/12/2011 1 0:46 [[Bellator Season Four Lightweight Tournament | Season Four Lightweight Tournament]] Opening Round
Win Rich Clementi Decision (Split) BFC Bellator Fighting Championships 28 9/09/2010 3 5:00
Loss Toby Imada Submission (Armbar) BFC Bellator Fighting Championships 17 5/06/2010 2 3:33 [[Bellator Season Two Lightweight Tournament | Season Two Lightweight Tournament]] Semifinal
Win Joe Duarte TKO (Punches) BFC Bellator Fighting Championships 13 4/08/2010 3 4:14 [[Bellator Season Two Lightweight Tournament | Season Two Lightweight Tournament]] Opening Round; Originally slated to face Janne Tulirinta
Win Paul Mann TKO (Punches) SF 1: Shogun Fights 1 10/24/2009 2 2:09
Win Peter Grimes Decision (Split) CCC: Cage Conflict Championships 6/20/2009 5 5:00
Win Derek Abram Submission (Armbar) SO: Seconds Out 2/13/2009 2 1:26
Win Sam Keigley Submission (Punches) MCS: Minnesota Combat Sports 1/17/2009 1 N/A
Win Jesse Anderson TKO (Punches) Brutaal: Fight Night 11/22/2008 1 2:11
Win Seko Tongiola TKO (Punches) Brutaal: Fight Night 10/03/2008 1 0:57
Loss Marshall Martin Submission (Triangle Choke) MF 2: Max Fights 2 1/26/2008 1 N/A
Win Wes Ronchi Submission (Choke) UCS: Battle on the Bay 9 11/30/2007 1 N/A
Win Logan Beckman TKO (Referee Stoppage) TCT 3: Twin Cities Throwdown 3 10/21/2006 2 N/A
Loss Nik Lentz TKO EFX: EFX 9/06/2006 1 N/A

== Biography ==
Vanier was born and raised in Minnesota, where he finished sixth at the state wrestling finals before moving on to compete at Ridgewater College where he was eventually named an All-American. After graduating, though, he made the decision to put his fighting dreams on the back burner in order to support his young son, Carey Jr. He took a job at the local Best Buy and worked his way up the ranks until he was named store manager. Vanier never lost his passion for the fight game, though, and continued to train and compete part time.

Eventually, though, he realized that MMA was his true calling and he quit his job to train full-time in Boxing, Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. In November 2009, he was invited to train with Donald Cerone at the prominent MMA trainer Greg Jackson’s gym in Albuquerque, where he has stayed ever since.

== Mixed Martial Arts Career ==
Vanier began wrestling at an early age and as a senior in high school, he finished sixth at the state wrestling finals. He enrolled at at Ridgewater College where he was eventually named an All-American.

After obtaining a 7-2 record, Carey was signed to Bellator and would enter their second season lightweight tournament starting in April 2010. The bout took place on April 8, 2010 at Bellator 13. His first opponent was scheduled to be Janne Tulirinta, but he was replaced by Joe Duarte on very short notice. Vanier opened with a series of low kicks that found their mark, and a pair of takedowns secured the fighter the opening frame. Duarte appeared to tire in the second frame, though he did continue forward and scored a few shots on the feet as well as a takedown and a threatening Kimura attempt. Vanier had an answer for each move and appeared to remain in control of the fight. Duarte continued to fade in the third, and Vanier unleashed a ferocious assault. Strikes landed frequently and soundly, and Duarte eventually found himself under an assault he couldn’t defend. The referee halted the contest with 46 seconds left in the final frame securing a result for Vanier due to TKO (Punches).

He next faced Toby Imada in his semi-final bout, which took place at Bellator 17. After defending several takedown attempts from Vanier in the first round, Imada began to grab control of the momentum in the closing seconds of the opening frame. He picked up where he left off in the second, and he dove to the floor while looking for a knee. Vanier defended the attempt, but a subsequent transition to an arm was timed perfectly, and Imada forced the tap at the 3:07 mark of the second frame with an Armbar.

Vanier returned to action on September 9, 2010 at Bellator 28 in a non-tournament bout against UFC veteran Rich Clementi. The fight was a tournament eliminator, as the winner would get a spot on the Bellator Season Four Lightweight Tournament. Clementi easily took the first round using his ground skills. Vanier seemed to get a second wind in the second frame, as he managed to maintain dominant position as Clementi struggled to reverse. By the third frame, Varnier’s strength kept Clementi from mounting any type of offense. The fight went to the judges decisions with two judges seeing the bout 29-28 for Vanier, with one judge dissenting at 29-28 for Clementi.