FightHype recently caught up with Juanito Ibarra to discuss Quinton Rampage Jackson's big win over Chuck Liddell. Don't miss what he had to say about the strategy to beat Liddell, how it will be different for Dan Henderson, and who he'd like Rampage to fight after that!

PC: Congratulations on a great fight and a great win. From our previous conversation before the fight, I don't think you're that shocked.

JI: I'm not shocked at all. Everyone is asking, how do I feel and I tell them good. It's just another day. It's nothing that I didn't expect and that's what we trained for. We not only trained for the victory, but what we trained for worked.

PC: You were supremely confident going into the fight. Was training camp that good or do you just know Rampage's ability when he's on?

JI: Training camp was that good, but I do know Rampage's ability. It's all about attitude, ability, dedication, desire, determination, discipline and drive. The 5 d's and 2 a's I call it. When I have that recipe, I know I have a champion. Rampage has never been a kid that looks great in the gym. The 2 years I've had him, he's improved in the gym. I knew tapering down for this fight, his timing was good. I was creating mental drills and they started to work. We made weight easy and he became world champion; without a doubt.

PC: Rampage cut off the ring well, moved his head and stalked like the old Rampage. Is that some of the things you guys worked on as keys to victory going into the fight?

JI: Absolutely. In the past, Rampage had incredible strength and ability, but sometimes his agility was not there; knowing why he's doing it and how and when to do it. He's now aware of his abilities. He's not crossing his feet, he's stepping over, he's cutting the ring off, and he can box and dance backwards if I want him to. He can kick you from the box and clinch and that's just stuff you haven't seen yet. Things have been working so well for us and that's something that he's been working on and it worked.

PC: Everyone including myself has been waiting for a huge Rampage slam, but looking back, Rampage has very underrated hands.

JI: Very underrated hands. I almost want to put him in a pro boxing match or an open division amateur match just to prove to him how good his hands are. He says, "Juanito man, I wish I could've showed my hands tonight." I told him in the Eastman fight he showed his speed and balance. I asked him, "What do you want to do, go to war for 12 rounds like a boxer?" He shook his head, no. What he's doing is working. He knows how he improved and if he ever has to climb that ladder after that, he'll be able to do it. He's not trying to knock guys out anymore. It's happening because he's working into it. All these things that make a professional fighter be professional and be a champion, he's possessed.

PC: I saw one of the first things he told you after the fight was, he didn't get to use his jab.

JI: When the fight started, I wanted him to throw a double jab and it came up a little short. I think he caught the tip of a jab, but that was all setting up the right hand. We use that counter jab or a lead jab and then step into the right hand like he did because of the way Chuck Liddell opens up. People don't realize, that's where my credibility comes from, the boxing world. I have good people around me to where if the fight goes anywhere else, they'll take it from there. In the MMA world, these guys learn how to strike and knock guys out, but they don't even know how they're doing it. That's why strategy is so important in this game. Dan Henderson is a kid with a good right hand, he throws many punches, he's real scrappy and he has a good chin. It will be some strategy behind that as well, on the feet and on the ground.

PC: When Chuck went down from the right hand, did you think he would recover or did you know the end was near?

JI: No! I knew from the way he fell. When Rampage started grounding and pounding him, I looked over at my cornerman and said, "We got a world champion son; love you guys." It was no way he was getting up. No way!

PC: Rampage jumped on him pretty quick when he dropped.

JI: We worked on that. We worked on getting in half guard. The only thing he didn't do was put his knee on his chest and pound him out. I told him yesterday, if he had put a knee on him like we trained, it would've been a perfect fight, but nothing is perfect. The way I seen Chuck fall, there was no way he was getting up.

PC: I know that fight couldn't have gone any better for you guys. Did you think Rampage had a chance to end it that early?

JI: I thought he could end it anytime. I wouldn't make a prediction because it's a matter of opportunity. It's when opportunity knocks. It's crazy because we worked Chuck Liddell's body shots, right counter off of the body shot. If you seen the 1, 2, 3 body hook he threw, he didn't throw it with vengeance. He threw it to touch Rampage, but it didn't have nothing behind it. We trained for that; just go into a southpaw position and reset your balance. I tell you, if you look at the film; Chuck was going to throw left hook right hand. You could see his tendencies by looking at his arms. His brain was thinking right hand after that hook. It was a great night. I wasn't surprised. We trained for it. Rampage was educated enough to see it and it worked.

PC: Chuck naturally keeps his hands rather low. It's no secret he had no respect for Tito's punching power. Did you think he would have shown Rampage's power more respect? 

JI: If you ever watch Chuck in the later rounds, Chuck gets very undisciplined. We were ready to take it 5, 6 or 7 rounds; we didn't care. You hit it on the nose. He doesn't respect Tito for one, and for two he don't respect Tito's punching power; there's not a lot there. I always say, when you fight a puncher, you have to cut them off because if you chase them, you will run into things. I think Chuck was overzealous and overconfident. Chuck will take you 4 rounds and be losing the fight and he knows in his mind he could knock you out any second and that's true, but sometimes you play into that too much and he got knocked out.

PC: Rampage looked to be in great shape. How do you keep him motivated past a Chuck Liddell fight?

JI: We're not changing nothing, we're only going to improve things. We are going to work on making his weaknesses his strengths. I keep journals on Rampage for many years now and I know his body. Motivation was never the belt. It was never to be champion. The motivation was to win the fight and the strap would be the extra bonus. Do we blow his mind about being champion? No! We're just going to get a little busier. We're busy anyway, but when it's time to go to camp, it's the same. We're going to do everything we can to prepare for that next opponent. Put the belt in a drawer or a sock, do whatever the hell you want with it and we train for victory again. Part of my job is to keep him grounded and if I can't do that, then I shouldn't be working with him.

PC: You said before the fight that Rampage just has the style to beat Chuck. What is it that Rampage brings to the table that Chuck's other victims didn't?

JI: Rampage has strength and just his style is wrong for Chuck. He has a chin. He could come at you from different angles, he could slam you, he could wrestle you and he could submit guys. You take a guy that comes wide, like Chuck, and Rampage just has the ability to get inside that. Rampage is just so versatile. I can't wait for the Henderson fight. Dan Henderson is a great fighter and champion; he has the heart of a lion, but I think Rampage will be too much for him. It's going to be a hell of a fight, but I would like to see Rampage fight Wanderlei Silva! Yeah man!

PC: Juanito, as always I appreciate you talking with me. That was a hell of a fight and strategy. Is there anything you want to say in closing?

JI: I just want to thank God. All of the fans out there, it's a God thing. I listen to God. God gives me my vision and my strength to have the ability to teach my students. With God in your heart, you can't go wrong.