UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is a wanted man — not just inside the Octagon, but outside of it, too.

With the conclusion of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 7, which he was a coach alongside Forrest Griffin, he is now hunkering down in Big Bear, Calif., to prepare for his monster upcoming title defense at UFC 86: “Jackson vs. Griffin” on July 5.

It’s time for comical champion to get serious. And that means, according to his manager and trainer, Juanito Ibarra, that he needs to be free of any distractions sans a select few planned appearances and official commitments for the UFC in the coming weeks.

While MMAmania.com was unsuccessful in getting Rampage Jackson on the phone because of this very reason, Ibarra was willing to take time out of the camp he has prepared for the light heavyweight champion of the world to chat with us about all things Rampage Jackson. From how the camp is coming along to how Rampage liked coaching the up-and-coming TUF Middleweights to where Ibarra sees Rampage in the next few years, we covered it all.

And although I think I might have annoyed Ibarra with one of my questions that calls Rampage’s coaching success rate into question, you can’t argue with the man’s record — or the record of his champion prize fighters. A former boxing trainer for Oscar de la Hoya — who, by the way, has generated more money than any other boxer in history — Ibarra has helped Rampage build up his own empire, which now includes an energy drink, ringtones, rims and more.

In addition to being undefeated (6-0) since bringing Ibarra on board, Rampage also holds both the UFC light heavyweight championship strap and the PRIDE FC light heavyweight belt. Not too shabby.

We chatted with the man behind the man. Here’s what he had to say:

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Rampage is set to fight Forrest Griffin at UFC 86 on July 5 in Las Vegas. There’s been a lot of hype building for this fight, especially with The Ultimate Fighter Season 7 Finale premiering next Saturday. What was Rampage’s take on being a coach for the show? Would he prefer to stick with fighting or did he enjoy his experience there?

Juanito Ibarra: From what I understand, he thinks it was a good experience from our discussions. He don’t envy the coaches, you know. He’d rather be fighting than coaching, from what I gather.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): The fighters Rampage coached didn’t seem to perform very well on the show. What was the problem there? Was it because Rampage is a better fighter than he is a coach, or did he just pick lousy fighters?

Juanito Ibarra: No, man. You know, I was on the show with him. I don’t blame him or Forrest for the good or the bad. You get these kids coming in, they rarely have time to train … It’s a television show. The results are the results.

It’s not that it’s bad or good, but if you look at history in the fight game … you know, I have a saying, “Those who can’t … teach.” So in other words, those who can’t perform in the ring or the cage usually become good teachers or trainers.

In Rampage’s instance, the guy’s one hell of a fighter — he’s the undisputed champion of the world — and maybe he’s not a teacher, I don’t know. That was his first time ever trying it. He never thought he’d be in that position to even want to do it.

So, it was a different transition for him and me — as his trainer and his manager — to listen to him instead of him listening to me. And so it was a bit uncomfortable in the beginning, but us coaches were there for him to do what he asked us to do, and it is what it is.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Taping for the show obviously prolongs title shots. Has this affected Rampage any? Did he use the opportunity to heal up old injuries and to market himself, or would he prefer to fight more frequently … say, every three or four months?

Juanito Ibarra: Well if you look at Rampage’s history, if you know anything about him, the first part of his career the guy was fighting … I think he fought like eight times a year. Look what his record is. I don’t even know if you know how many fights he has.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Yeah, I do.

Juanito Ibarra: If you did your homework then he’s fought quite frequently. Fighters can’t fight like that all their lives — six times a year — especially when guys are getting better. We needed to heal some old injuries. I needed to market him more. I needed to get some endorsements and to fulfill the vision that I have for him as his manager — not only his trainer, but as his manager — to really exploit him out there in a good way.

Unfortunately, it was a little longer than we anticipated because of the show, but we committed to the UFC that we’d do it, and we wanted to stay honorable to it.

Things like that can hurt a fighter or it can help a fighter. In this case, I really think that it’s going to help Rampage, the long layoff. You know, he won two world titles. He’s the undisputed champion. He won it in seven months, right? Seven frickin’ months he won it. So he needed a little rest, he needs to heal. And now we’re ready to go back to war.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Absolutely, I wasn’t trying to imply that he needed the time off, or anything like that. I was just saying that a criticism of TUF from a fan perspective is that they want to see more title shots more frequently.

Juanito Ibarra: Well, you know, the fans … it shouldn’t have to be a title shot that they want to see. They should just want to see a good fight. And Rampage always puts on a good fight, whether he’s a champion or not. I believe he’s going to stay champion for a long time. As long as he’s in great shape, it’s going to be hard to beat him.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Absolutely.

Juanito Ibarra: Yeah, and we want to give the fans more of Rampage, and we hope the UFC complies with us in working with us to get that done. So I truly believe that Rampage’s year is next year, in 2009. I told him that on New Year’s Eve coming into 2008. I said, “Son, I’m tellin’ ya, 2009 is going to be a huge, huge, huge year for you.” And I truly believe that.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): How many more fights does Rampage have on his current contract?

Juanito Ibarra: I don’t want to get into money or contracts.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Okay, that’s fine. Forrest is a big guy, I think he’s 6′3″ and probably walks around at 235.

Juanito Ibarra: He walks around at about 245 to be honest.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): 245, okay. Does this impact at all how you and Rampage have been preparing for this fight?

Juanito Ibarra: Rampage is always prepared, because that’s my way. I train athletes to do things backwards, forwards, sideways, 45 degree angles … And we always spar and have camps with guys of all sizes — from speed to shortness to thickness to tallness. Guys like Cheick Kongo in camp. You know, Cheick Kongo’s a monster. I brought in … I think I added it up to almost 25 guys in and out of camp with Rampage, getting their butts whooped. I pay my guys, so it’s hard for guys that come into camp to say, “I’m leaving ’cause I’m getting my butt whooped” when they’re getting paid, right?

We’re getting ready, just like any other fight. We don’t take Forrest lightly. He’s a big guy. He has a lot of tenacity. He comes to fight 1,000 percent of the time, and we’re going to do our best to be prepared for that, like always.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Since Rampage began training with you, he’s 6-0, I believe, is that correct?

Juanito Ibarra: Yes, sir.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Can you give us a brief run through of the type of training camp you’ve put together for this fight?

Juanito Ibarra: Well, it’s just like any other camp, I mean, I have a lock down kind of policy, whether he likes it or not. It’s about focusing, it’s about getting in shape at altitude, it’s about shutting out the world, and it’s hard. It takes you through a lot of mental stress, but you have to overcome them things to make you stronger and tougher and more focused.

Like I said, we’re concentrating on every aspect of the game for this fight, like we have other fights. I really haven’t changed much … I’m a study freak, I’m a technical freak, so … you know, that’s what we’ve done. We have a gameplan, and we’re going to be victorious.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): I don’t know the odds, but I’m sure Rampage is a heavy favorite for this fight. How do you see the fight going? Do you see it being a quick stoppage or a drawn out slugfest?

Juanito Ibarra: I don’t get into betting and odds, ’cause I could care less. Every fight’s a different fight. The underdog guys are the guys that, if you really don’t prepare for them, they are the guys that are the most dangerous. Forrest Griffin is just as dangerous as any other light heavyweight out there.

We don’t expect nothing but a win. We don’t think about defending the belt, we just think about winning the fight in a great fashion. If it comes early, God bless it, that’s what we’ve trained for — early stoppages and ways to win fights. And then on the other hand, we’re prepared to go five rounds if the momentum and tempo’s not like that.

You gotta remember that to have a fight, two guys gotta fight. Look at the Tito Ortiz and Machida fight. It was a matador and bull kind of fight. This fight might be a matador and bull kind of fight. You gotta know how to cut off the ring to get to the matador; and the matador has to be able to stab the bull to get the bull down, right?

I can probably bet 99.9 percent that this is going to be a strategic fight, especially in Forrest’s mind. I don’t think he wants to trade with Rampage. He may, he gets a little crazy, he likes to trade when he’s in the heat of it. He may do that, but we’re prepared either way.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Do you think Forrest Griffin has a chin strong enough to stand and bang with Rampage?

Juanito Ibarra: No. Not too many guys do.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Yeah, that’s for certain. I know that Rampage isn’t looking past Forrest by any means, but what’s next in line for him—

Juanito Ibarra: No buts. No buts. We’re not looking past Forrest. I always have a plan. As a business manager, his manager and as his trainer, I always have a plan. As a matter of fact, I have an A, B, C, D plan in anything I do. In the fight game, in the ring, in the cage, outside of it … So there are plans out there, but that’s it. It’s planning it. It doesn’t mean it’s going to happen.

But I think 2009 is going to be an unbelievable year for Rampage, and I think he’s going to end this year with a bang. I really do. He hasn’t fought, he’s hungry, he’s very ornery and nasty. That means I’m doing my job.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Would he prefer a rematch with Shogun Rua or Wanderlei Silva?

Juanito Ibarra: Of course, that’s always in our future. Them guys are two great warriors. He was unfortunately beaten in them fights for whatever reasons — who cares? I always say, “Yesterday’s a canceled check, today’s cash in hand, tomorrow’s a promissory note.” And it’s on my mind, it’s always been on my mind.

I respect both them athletes. I respect them as athletes, fighters, as people. They are very polite to me. I’m very polite to them. I just think that Rampage Jackson is a way better fighter, and I think we’re under different circumstances, to say the least. If them kids are healthy, and Rampage is champion, like I expect him to be, of course we’d like them fights in the future, of course. But you gotta remember, them guys gotta show a winning style as well. They can’t just fight on pure names. They gotta show that they’re doing good. We want to beat the best that there are, just like anybody else.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): How’s the Rampage empire growing?

Juanito Ibarra: It’s growing, man. It’s been almost … man, it’s going on three and a half years, I think. I’ve been working my tail off six days a week. You know I have my team behind me — guys who have made me successful. It’s a small team, but I believe a powerful team. The empire is growing, believe me. We don’t talk about it a lot, we don’t wear it on our shorts like everybody wants us to and everybody does to show what we’re about. We just try to stay humble and believe in God and keep growing day by day.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Hey I really appreciate you taking the time to talk with us. I know that Rampage has a lot of fans who frequent the site. Would you like to thank any sponsors, or do you have any parting words for all those Rampage fans out there?

Juanito Ibarra: I know Rampage loves his fans to death. Just to let everybody know that he’s working his butt off to stay champion, and he thanks all the fans for the support. His new Web site will be up: AllRampage.com. Look it up. That’s where his new ringtones are going to be for sale, and his energy drink, and his tennis shoes, and his rims, and he’s growing. We really love the support from all the fans around the world.