At the time of this interview, UFC World Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton Jackson kindly takes time out from a photo shoot in Long Beach, California, to talk to knucklepit.com.

Also with Rampage is his manager and boxing coach, Juanito Ibarra, a renowned trainer of 13 world champions and many big-name athletes, including MMA stars Antonio McKee, Vitor Belfort, Savant Young and John Marsh. Then there are the boxing champions Juanito has assisted, such as Oscar De La Hoya, Tony Tubbs and Pinklin Thomas.

Now notched up in Rampage’s impressive 29-6 MMA record are earlier wins over such respected names as Igor Vovchanchyn, Kevin Randleman and Matt Lindland: impressive scalps indeed! And Quinton is currently on a six-fight winning streak, which takes in his three latest UFC bouts.

However, it was during Quinton’s childhood that he acquired the nickname ‘Rampage’. “As a kid I used to have a real bad temper and my family would tease and torment me a lot. Things were happening and getting crashed about, so my cousin named me ‘Rampage’, which was also a video game I used to play,” says Jackson.

It was some time later, on the street of his hometown, Memphis, Tennessee, that he honed his first basic fighting skills. And Rampage says he still employs some of those skills in MMA today. “Oh, yeah, I call my style the ‘kick-your-ass style’. That’s what I do.”

Quinton then adopted wrestling as his first official fighting art, whilst attending Raleigh Egypt High School in Memphis, where he started in collegiate and then went into freestyle.

From there Rampage began competing in such MMA events as ISCF (International Sport Combat Federation), Huntington Beach Underground Pancrase and a number of Gladiator Challenge matches, which led to his long and highly successful career with PRIDE FC in Japan. Then when UFC acquired PRIDE, Quinton debuted in the Octagon with a convincing victory over Marvin Eastman at UFC 67.

Quinton, you have a reputation for possessing damaging strikes as well as punishing takedowns and submissions. Do you prefer the strike game to the grappling now?

“I prefer striking: I prefer knocking someone’s head off.”

Juanito said you also have lethal body shots.

“Yeah, but they mainly come out during practice – not so much in the fights.”

Do you think it’s a good thing that the light heavyweight title has been unified, and that there is now one real world light heavyweight champion?

“That’s the best thing for MMA today – to have one world champion. And that one champion is MEEEEEEE!”

Juanito said you’ve been involved in filming for a movie. Can you say what the movie is?

“Midnight Meat Train (starring Bradley Cooper, Vinnie Jones, Ledlie Bibb, and Brooke Shields) is going to come out pretty soon and I just did a cameo in a movie called Playboys. It was a real small part.”

Do you intend pursuing a career in film?

“When I get done fighting, yeah.”

Why were you so confident going into the bout against Chuck Liddell?

“Because I knew I was going to win that fight. There was no doubt in my mind… (sings) It was like money in the bank, show me what you think, I got money in the bank, show me what you drink, wink, wink, get down.

“I knew I was going to win that fight just like you know when you wake up in the morning and you know you’re going to yawn, like you know you’re going to breathe your first breath of air, like you know you’re going to… (Oops!)”

What was the crowd’s response to you like when you entered the arena for that fight?

“They booed me. But I didn’t care. Who cares? My fans cheered, but Chuck Liddell’s fans booed me. He has more fans than I do because I’m coming from Japan (PRIDE).”

You have a lot more fans now.

“I think I do, yeah.”

When did you hook up with Juanito Ibarra?

“Two and a half years ago.”

Is Juanito mainly involved in the boxing aspect of your training?

“Yes, sir.”

Were you happy with your bout against Dan Henderson?

“No, I wanted to knock him out.”

Were people surprised with the way you dominated that fight - particularly the way you handled yourself on the ground?

“They didn’t know I had jiu jitsu skills. I want the world to know I got the ‘skeals’ to make meals.”

Quinton, what’s your prediction for the Liddell vs. Silva match?

“I predict it’s going to be a good fight.”

[Rampage is called away for some more photo shots, so Juanito Ibarra graciously finishes off the answers.]

Juanito, what did you think about Quinton’s match against Chuck Liddell?

“Well, he socked the world by KO on the Iceman and then became the undisputed World Light Heavyweight Champion, which is history for any man, but Rampage’s being a black athlete makes it even bigger.”

Are you expecting a rematch with Wanderlei after he fights Chuck Liddell?

“I just hope we fight him next year, that’s all I can say. We want Wanderlei and we want to fight him next year,” says Juanito.

Do you see Thiago Silva being a threat to the light heavyweight class?

“Any kid who’s in the light heavyweight division is a world-class kid. Everyone in that division is a threat: We take them all seriously.”

When do we see Quinton fight again?

“Next year. We’re working through the injury right now. He tore some ligaments in his left hand during the Dan Henderson fight.”

Rampage’s sponsors?

“Toyo Tires, Throwdown, Affliction, and Boost Mobile.”