World-class trainer Juanito Ibarra discusses the future plans of UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. "I don't know if those kids are ready or if they even want to fight Rampage so we'll have to see," stated Ibarra in regards to fighting Wanderlei Silva or Shogun, but he made it clear that vengeance is their top priority. Check out what else he had to say as he talks more about Jackson, Bisping, Kongo and shares his thoughts on the eagerly anticipated clash between Chuck Liddell and Wanderlei Silva.
PC: How are you doing my man?
JI: I'm alright. I'm just looking forward to the holidays here and spending a little time with the family. Still working around the clock though.
PC: I know you recently had eye surgery. How is that going for you?
JI: The eye surgery, I try not to think about it. Actually my eye is doing a little worse. They may have to do it again. I guess I was in that percentage that it didn't take. I try to stay positive and try not to think about it much.
PC: We haven't talked since the Henderson fight so congratulations on that. How do you feel about his performance?
JI: I think his performance was good. I was happy because he showed his versatility; things that I've been telling people about. He's a much more rounded fighter, but Rampage just likes to knock people out and that's why you don't see it. His Jiu Jitsu is getting better; his wrestling is better and getting better. I was very happy. I really thought he could've knocked Henderson out. Henderson, as tough as he is, I think he could've got knocked out. Rampage hurt his hand in the 1st round and I couldn't get him to jab enough to set up the right hand or set up the hook off of the jab. It was still a good fight though.
PC: What would you like to see the UFC do with Rampage next?
JI: I've always said that our plan is to get vengeance, you know? Our plan is to get everyone that beat us and our plan is to get Wanderlei Silva or Shogun next. That's just on my desire list, but I don't know if those kids are ready or if they even want to fight Rampage so we'll have to see. We'll make a choice collectively with the matchmaker Joe and the promoter Dana and see what the choice is.
PC: If you had your choice, who would you like to see him get back first? Silva or Shogun?
JI: Either or. Me personally, I would want Wanderlei, but I'll be happy with either or.
PC: Were you surprised at the outcome between Forrest Griffin and Shogun?
JI: I really wasn't surprised because Forrest Griffin is a kid that fights with his heart on his sleeve. He's not a kid with talent and that's the kind of kid I like. I'd rather teach heart than talent and he's that kind of guy. He's very versatile and he's a hard worker. He's going to fight with all he has. I think in Shogun's mind, he thought he was prepared, but he was over confident and he just fought a guy that likes to fight and he'll do anything it takes to win and he sure proved that. I was excited for Forrest. I like Forrest.
PC: Will you continue to train guys like Bisping and Kongo?
JI: Yeah, Cheik Kongo is actually moving down and he'll be staying with me and Rampage down in Irvine. He's coming down next month and that way I could spend more time with him training him and getting him ready for next year. I don't manage him so it's kind of hard for me to plan with him what I'd like, but I'm going to get Cheik as ready as I could to fight anybody. His victory over Cro Cop wasn't surprising to me. It's something I expected and I think me, him and Rampage make a good team and so we're going to continue that. As far as Bisping, I hope to work with Bisping in and out of the ring. We'll see if that's the case because I like him. Hopefully he could grow and move into the States and I could have more hands on time with him. That's still in question, but he's a kid that I care for. I'd like to see him fight at 185.
PC: What did you think about his fight with Rashad?
JI: I think in the beginning, it was a bad fight for Bisping to take right now, but knowing that, he took the fight and the fight itself, I think Bisping is a lot better than that. Rashad's kind of the same fighter. He's not hard to figure out. He's a warrior, but he's not hard to figure out. I think Bisping could've fought a lot better. I think that's where he needs to grow. I think he needs to take that bigger step and start training with world-class people. That's why I hope to work something out like I talked about with him and his manager. Let me help out and I think I can get him at a different level at a different weight.
PC: How many times would you like to see Rampage fight next year?
JI: If I had it my way, I'd like to see him fight 3 times and if they're short fights, 4 times. There's a lot on the plate for next year already and he may fight 2 or 3 times next year. His hand is not quite healed yet and that's why I won't be surprised if he does only fight twice, but we always hope that he keeps his tune and keeps us busy, but we'll see.
PC: Are there any fighters, Juanito, that you like what you see in them and would like to work with?
JI: I like the pool of talent in MMA period; from the off-TV kids on up. There's more athletes getting into MMA and I can teach athletes. The more versatile, the easier to teach and there's a kid at 155, Josh Gaskins, one of my understudies is working with him. I think I can help him to another level. There's an old student of mine in Texas, another 55 pounder named Jason Maxwell and I think once he gets back on the map, he'll be hard to deal with. I don't go after talent because everyone has their own way. I try and put everything into Rampage because I truly believe that he still has a lot to show. He is the undisputed champion, but I'm telling you, he's going to be that for a while and we're working hard at keeping him there.
PC: One of Rampage's major faults was he didn't like to train hard. What did you do to break him out of that?
JI: I think the way I've helped with his mental is actually having him believe in himself. Rampage is a phenom in his own right. His upbringing isn't the greatest and I don't think he had the support in his upbringing to make him have any confidence in what he did. He doubted himself a lot. He still has a problem with that, believe it or not, with some things, but just making him believe in himself. I always say, conceive it, believe it and you'll achieve it. I had to make him understand what that was about. I had to let him know that he's improving and that's ok. Now he has no ego in the gym so when he sees himself improving, he's like, "Man, that worked, teach me more!" I just want him to believe in himself and let him know he could do anything that anybody else is doing or better than anybody else. It's a mental accomplishment.
PC: You seem like a father figure to him. Do you look at Rampage as a son?
JI: He is my son. It's funny because we're going to be together 3 years in February and he always tells people, "this is my dad, my pops, my manager, my trainer, my agent, my book keeper, my accountant and my lawyer." He used to always put dad in there and I told him, "Son, one of the things about becoming a Christian and getting close to God is mending relationships." I told him he needs to start talking to his dad again because his dad was born again. Christian man. They've done that and him and his dad have a great relationship now. I'm still his other dad. Now I'm like a step-dad. Me and his dad love each other man. We hang out when we see each other. I'm glad to be considered like a dad to him, but he's definitely one of my sons. I told Rampage in the beginning I was going to give him my life. We have great chemistry, but I'm going to give you everything that I've got.
PC: I saw you a while back in Hawaii at the Elite XC show as a cutman. How did that come about?
JI: I started a foundation for trainers and cutman in 1996 with Hall of Fame cutman Chuck Bodak and we started it to help MMA out at the time to bring world-class cutmen in the corners at the promoter's cost. I'm the president and founder of that and I've offered my services to every promoter in the world and if they hire me, I think I have 9 guys under me and if I can't make it, they'll be there and we're working for the promoters just to stop cuts for fighters.
PC: Chuck Liddell and Wanderlei Silva will be mixing it up in a couple of weeks. Who do you like in that fight?
JI: I'm really surprised that Chuck Liddell, after those 2 losses, got a shot like that from a business standpoint, but from a promoter standpoint, I could understand because that fight would've been one of the biggest fights ever if those two guys would've fought in their primes when they should've fought. It's the end of the year and it's a good sale to MMA people that they still are going to fight, and of course Chuck Liddell has a good right hand and he could hurt you any time. Wanderlei Silva is coming off of 2 losses as well so if you want to match that up, it's a good fight. I'm going to vote for Wanderlei and it's only because when we fight Wanderlei, whenever we do I want him to be on a winning streak and on a role so there's no excuse. I want to fight Wanderlei at his best and hopefully we're at our best because I don't want no excuses. We beat Chuck, not taking anything away from Chuck at all, but we fought him twice and to me, that's a cancelled check now. I'd like to go down our hit list and one of them is Wanderlei Silva.
PC: You know I can't let you get away without a boxing question. What do you think of the Mayweather/ Hatton fight this Saturday?
JI: It's heart vs. talent and I'm the type of guy that likes to teach heart before talent. Hatton's in phenomenal shape. He's an old school mixed with the new school type of fighter. I think what could hurt Hatton is his weight fluctuation between fights because that's always hard on the body. Mayweather's a smart kid. He's fast and elusive and it's hard to beat a guy like that unless you could really hurt that kid to the body so I'm going to say Hatton in the later rounds. I'm just going to roll the dice on that. I want to see Hatton beat Floyd Mayweather.
PC: Would you like for Rampage's next UFC fight to be in the United States?
JI: Absolutely! I think we should stay home for a while.
PC: I always appreciate your time my man. Is there anything you want to say in closing?
JI: God bless everybody and Happy Holidays and just keep supporting us!
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]