While still in college in 1996, Brandon Paulson captured an Olympic silver medal. He was supposed to dominate his weight class for years to come, but Steven Mays defeated him in the 2000 Olympic Team Trials.    Paulson came back in 2001 to win a World silver medal, but his ultimate goal of winning an Olympic gold medal is yet to be reached.    TheMat.com spoke with Paulson about the past four years, and the surprises that have come into his weight class this year.    TheMat.com: What was your reaction when you found out that Dennis Hall was going to drop into your weight class?  Paulson: My first reaction was disbelief. I didn't believe he was going down, and didn't think he could make it if he tried. I forgot that Dennis loves to do the improbable.      TheMat.com: Do you view Hall's entrance into the 55 kilogram weight class is a threat, a challenge, or both?  Paulson: It has been both for me. It has given me something to train for. I frequently picture my competitors while I am working out.  But it is also a threat to my dreams. In my opinion he is the best Greco Roman wrestler the U.S. has ever had. But as I have said before; I am not going up to his weight, he is coming down to mine. I believe I can beat anybody in the World at 55 kg. I think it would be fun to wrestle Dennis in our last Olympic Trials. I get excited thinking about it. But I am not counting out Durlacher to be in the finals.     TheMat.com: Last year after the World Team Trials, you stated "I don't respect him. I don't like his style of wrestling," about Lindsey Durlacher. After this year's U.S. Nationals, you sounded as though that feeling has changed. Has it, and if so, why?  Paulson: I have scene differences in Lindsey's training and wrestling style. I thought he wrestled hard at this year's Nationals and I respect the dedication that he has shown.     TheMat.com: With the emergence of Durlacher as a serious threat to make the team and Hall, who do you feel is the biggest threat to dethrone you?  Paulson: Myself. I wrestled the worst tournament in the last four years at the U.S. Nationals. Look at the three guys that qualified our weight in Serbia, Bracken, Lowney, and I. None of us had our best tournament. I am now fresh, and feel great. My training is going great and will be at my best at the Olympic Trials. If I wrestle well, I feel I will win. If I don't, I won't    TheMat.com: This year, you wrestled an exhibition match with Hakan Nyblom of Denmark during a Minnesota dual meet. You then wrestled Jesus Wilson in a match that featured both freestyle and Greco-Roman. What did you hope to accomplish with those matches?  Paulson: About six or seven thousand people watched my two exhibition matches. I wanted to give Greco-Roman wrestling more exposure. Minnesota has had somebody on the World Team for 40 straight years, but our numbers are down. I hope to try and get more people to wrestle Greco when they are young, and after high school.    TheMat.com: So many expectations were laid upon you going into the 2000 Olympic Trials following your performance in 1996. Do you feel that the pressure you felt in 2000 has lifted from your shoulders, or does it still exist?  Paulson: I didn't know about any expectations that anybody put on me. The expectations were all my own. It was a long time before I accepted what happened in 2000, but then I realized that God has a plan for me and I must trust him.      TheMat.com: You have struggled with the Cuban, Lazaro Rivas, in recent years, including losses to him at last year's Pan Am Games and World Championships. Is he someone you train specifically for?  Paulson: As I mentioned before I like to think of my competitors when I am training and he is one that I think of. I have worked on stopping his lift/gut this year. Hopefully I will get the chance to wrestle him again. I need to beat him before I am done.    TheMat.com: Do you feel that you are the same wrestler now than you were in 1996 or 2000? If not, why?  Paulson: Everybody changes their wrestling style over time. I have had to change or I wouldn't be successful. Although I think one of the reasons I did well in '96 and 2001 was because nobody new my style or my moves. In '96 and 2000 my weakness was par terre defense. Now par terre defense is my strength. I have worked very hard in par terre and hope to show a few surprises at the Trials.    TheMat.com: You are one of few wrestlers, most of them Greco-Roman, that juggles a full-time job, family life and training schedule. How difficult is this for you?  Paulson: It is very draining and stressful. After the Olympic qualifier in Serbia I dropped the number of hours I worked so I could focus on the Games. God has blessed me with athletic talent, a good career and, and a beautiful supporting family, so I feel lucky.    TheMat.com: What are the chances of seeing the clean-shaven head you had in 1996 for this year's Olympic Trials?  Paulson: You never know.