There is nothing like the thrill of international competition to bring two rivals together.

That is exactly what happened this week in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic when reigning Greco-Roman World Champion Dremiel Byers flew into town to help 2000 Olympic gold medalist Rulon Gardner train for the Pan American Games.

That is nearly 600 pounds and two gold medals combined in one cramped space.

Gardner recently defeated Byers at the U.S. World Team Trials in June to earn the spot on the Pan American Games and World Championship teams.

"With Dremiel, you have a World Champion. He was someone who was in it and someone who knows these competitors even better than I do. He is the one who beat them all last year when I was out," stated Gardner, whose comeback story from a February, 2002 snowmobiling accident has been nothing short of miraculous.

In that accident, Gardner spent 13 hours in freezing temperatures in the Wyoming wilderness. He suffered severe frostbite because of the conditions and had one toe amputated.

The two have been wrestling with each other in the practice room on Wednesday and Thursday. The humid and hot weather, with temperatures in the 90's and humidity pushing it to over 100, has helped make their mat area a pool of sweat.

Gardner and Byers have spent a lot of time on gut wrench defense, leaving a trail of sweat similar to a snail's slime when Gardner moves on the bottom.

Gardner feels that his health is still only between 85 and 90 percent right now, but he is improving. He struggles with his balance at times as well as working for inside position on his feet, one of the most crucial aspects of Greco-Roman wrestling.

While at a heavyweight wrestling camp for American legend Bruce Baumgartner, Byers approached Gardner and offered assistance.

Last year, Byers asked Gardner to come to Moscow, Russia to help him train for the World Championships. Gardner respectfully declined, as he had not yet wrestled a full practice yet.

"(Byers) came up at Bruce's camp and said 'hey, if you want me to be, I am there for you.' I know that Dremiel can only help me to get better on the mat, and he can also help me to beat some of the other guys here. Having him here will help me beat Lopez," Gardner said.

The Lopez Gardner speaks of is Cuban Mijian Lopez, who has defeated Gardner in their last two confrontations.

Byers, whose trip to Santo Domingo was funded by the U.S. Army, defeated Lopez on his way to the Pan American Championships gold medal in March.

"This is about getting the (American) flag raised and the song played," Byers said after an intense workout in the Pebellon de Combate, the Pan American Games arena for wrestling, or lucha as it is referred to in Pan American countries. "I think (Rulon) is much better than he was the last time he wrestled him. There is no doubt in my mind that he is gonna beat him."

Lopez defeated Gardner 3-0 in the finals of the Dave Schultz Memorial International in Colorado Springs, Colo. in February, and just one week later, downed Gardner by the same score at the Titan Games in San Jose, Calif. Byers posted a 3-1 win over the 21 year-old Cuban after losing a 4-1 decision to Lopez February.

With the experience, both wrestlers agree that Lopez is good on his feet and possesses an explosive gut wrench.

"He's a kid," Byers said as he showed no fear of the Cuban. "He's a man-child. He gets frustrated just like everybody else. If he scores early, he can get on a roll, but if you shut him down on his feet and stop his gut wrench, he is very beatable."

It is clear that when the United States steps onto the mat, there is only one goal in mind - gold medals.

No matter how personal the battles get or how deep the rivalry digs, Gardner and Byers will always be friends off the mat and foes on the mat, unless there is foreign competitor on the other side.

Then, and only then, it is about "getting the flag raised and the song played."