Joe Williams is used to being the best in wrestling. Whether it be winning Junior National titles or NCAA titles,he has managed to stay on top.    Now, Williams is looking to get to the top of the international ladder. He won a Bronze Medal at the 2001 World Championships, only losing to the eventual World Champion. He was one of only two freestyle wrestlers to earn a medal at last year's World Championships. Williams feels poised and ready to make a push for a World title this year.    TheMat.com spoke with Williams about the progression he has made towards becoming a World Champion.    TheMat.com: Two years ago, you did not reach your goal of becoming a U.S. Olympian. How hard was it to swallow and to see Brandon Slay win Gold?  Williams: I just look at it as having a setback. You have to try your hardest to make sure you are doing the right things. You look at your training and see if there are things you can do differently. As for Slay winning, I was happy for him. USA Wrestling wants the best guy on the mat at all times. He went out and wrestled hard and wrestled good. Give him credit, he did what he needed to do to win.    TheMat.com: Last year, you were one of only two freestyle wrestlers to win a medal at the World Championships. Was it bitter-sweet to win a medal yet watch your other teammates struggle?  Williams: Just to win a medal was not what I wanted to do. I set my mind on winning it all. To receive a medal was somewhat satisfying, but I have higher goals. I know everybody on the team worked hard and trained hard. It's just a matter of being one second away from winning some matches. We were closer than it looked     TheMat.com: How important was it for your confidence last year to win the Bronze at the World Championships?  Williams: Any time you go overseas in international competition and you place high, that is going to be a confidence booster. Coaches like Kevin Jackson really worked with me on a lot of things. He helped put a lot of things in perspective for me, especially from a wrestling standpoint.    TheMat.com: Your  only two losses in the past year are to Buvaisar Saitev (2001 World Champion) of Russia and Ahmet Gulhan of Turkey, but you have a win over Alexander Leipold since then. What have you learned from your losses that has made you a better wrestler?  Williams: I learned to just go out and wrestle. The matches that I lost I didn't really go out and wrestle my match. It comes down to wrestling the match I want to wrestle and if I do that, I should walk off the mat as a winner.    TheMat.com: WIth the new weight classes, a lot of wrestlers have moved up to your weight while you actually had to move down. Do you feel stronger than a lot of opponents and do you think your experience at the higher weight gives you an advantage?  Williams: I don't look at it as an advantage or a disadvantage. I love to wrestle whoever is in my weight class. I think there are a lot of different styles now with all of the different guys coming in. I don't feel any more stronger or more dominant over those guys than anyone I have wrestled in the past. I am starting to do a lot of things differently and it is showing  in my wrestling.    TheMat.com: Cael Sanderson was in Iowa City one week ago to train with you and Chad Lamer. Is it helpful to get a fresh face to train with that is so skilled?  Williams: Oh yeah! You are only as good as your wrestling partners. I think wrestling with Cael is going to make me that much better. He is pretty good all-around and he makes you wrestle. He likes to continuously work hard. Having him as a workout partner is going to help my wrestling a great deal.    TheMat.com: Who else do you train with in Iowa City?  Williams: Tom Brands and Jim Zalesky have been along my side whenever Kevin is not there. They remind me of the things I need to do to stay focused. As for training partners, Jessman Smith, Tyler Nixt and Matt Anderson all wrestle with me on a daily basis. They all have freestyle backgrounds. They know the rules and how to work hard. They keep me going.