BAKU, Azerbaijan - Not many people are expecting Joe Betterman to make much of a splash at his first World Championships.

After all, the 23-year-old Betterman does not have an abundance of international experience and he is relatively unknown outside the U.S.

But Betterman's coaches know what he is capable of doing and they believe the late replacement for 2006 World champion Joe Warren in the U.S. lineup can make an impact at 60 kg/132 lbs.

Betterman will face Stig Andre Berge of Norway in the first round of the World Championships on Monday morning in Baku. Berge placed second in the 2007 European Championships.

"Joe is looking real good in his training and he's feeling pretty fresh," USA Wrestling National Greco-Roman Coach Steve Fraser said. "I think he's going to surprise a lot of people here. Joe is excited about this opportunity and he is up for the challenge."

Ivan Ivanov, Betterman's coach at the U.S. Olympic Education Center at Northern Michigan University, shares a similar view.

"This is Joe's first big event," Ivanov said. "He has a shot to win a medal if things go well. We're trying not to put too much pressure on him. We're just telling him to compete hard and do his best, but if he wrestles well we think he has the ability to win a medal. I won't be surprised if he has a real good tournament here. We have a lot of faith in Joe."

Betterman's training partner at the World Championships is another young stud from the USOEC in Spenser Mango, who was second at 55 kg/121 lbs. at the 2007 World Team Trials.

"I definitely think Joe can surprise some people here," said Mango, a 2006 World University champion. "He's looked great at practice and he's been training hard. It's his spot now and this is his time to shine. Nobody is expecting him to do anything and nobody knows him. He can come out of nowhere and make an impact here. It's definitely a great opportunity for Joe."

Betterman also trains with USOEC assistant coach Jim Gruenwald, a two-time Olympian, and he also worked with Warren during the team's World Team camp.

"Joe had a chance to wrestle with last year's World champion and that was great preparation for him to have a chance to train with Joe Warren," Ivanov said. "And wrestling Gruenwald every day in our room really helps him a lot. He's had plenty of good wrestlers to train with."

Betterman (Chicago, Ill./New York AC) placed second to Warren this year at the U.S. Nationals and U.S. World Team Trials.

Betterman also is in position to qualify the U.S. for the Olympic Games at 60 kilos. The top eight finishers at the Worlds in each weight class qualify their country for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.

"It's just a great opportunity for me," Betterman said. "All my teammates have helped me a lot. They've given me a lot of good advice."

Betterman joins USOEC teammate Harry Lester, a 2006 World bronze medalist, on the 2007 U.S. World Team. Lester competes at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.

"It's great for our program to have two guys wrestling in the World Championships," Ivanov said. "Harry Lester and Joe Betterman are both really young, and they're going to be competing at a high level for a long time. It means a lot for us to have two guys competing here."

Said Mango: "Seeing Harry, and now Joe Betterman, on the World Team has really inspired a lot of us. Other guys on our team are thinking 'I should be on the team, too.' Having a chance to be here as a training partner has been a great learning experience for me. I definitely want to be on the (Olympic) Team next year."

Lester was in the same spot Betterman is in now when Lester wrestled in the Worlds for the first time in 2005.

"Betterman brings a lot of adrenaline and excitement to his matches," Lester said. "I told him he just has to wrestle his match and give it 100 percent. If he does that, he can have some success here."

The veterans on the U.S. Greco-Roman squad have done their part to help Betterman prepare for this event.

"We have a bunch of great leaders and veteran guys on this team," Fraser said. "Joe's learned from them and I know they've helped him a lot in getting ready to compete here."