Cael Sanderson may have done it all in college wrestling, but at the international level, he may have to prove himself to the world all over again.

It starts today as he and Cyclone assistant coach Chris Bono wrestle for the United States at the Titan Games in San Jose, Calif. Both are the nation’s top-ranked freestyle wrestlers in their weight classes and will face former world and Olympic champions from Cuba and Russia.

This showcase of potential Olympic contenders is Sanderson’s first time representing the United States in a major international meet, and he finds himself in a position he hasn’t been in for years.

“I’m pretty much the underdog,” Sanderson said. “I’m wrestling the guys who have been world champions since I got to college.”

Sanderson, the only four-time undefeated NCAA champion, has been training with the Cyclones and the U.S. National Freestyle team, but hasn’t competed often since college. The Titan Games are more a time for him to learn than to win.

“I love wrestling, so I’m looking forward to getting out on the mat and getting the chance to see where I’m at,” he said. “Winning and losing is not the main concern right now.”

Sanderson qualified for the last two world championships, but larger events came before wrestling. The 2001 tournament was rescheduled to the middle of the college season because of Sept. 11, and in 2002, the U.S. team withdrew from competition due to a terrorist threat against it.

Bono, who was also on the 2002 team, remembers his frustration with the political turmoil.

“It was a real big disappointment,” he said. “You train your whole life to be a world champion, and then they take it away from you.”

Today’s meet will be another notch in Bono’s six years on the international circuit. His college career isn’t as illustrious as Sanderson’s, despite being a four-time All-American and winning the NCAA title in 1996. But he has the upper hand over Sanderson when it comes to world experience — last November he won 4-2 over Bulgaria’s Serafin Barzakov, a two-time world champion and silver medalist in the 2000 Olympics.

For Sanderson, the Olympic run is just beginning, but he admitted that it’s difficult to not feel the pressure.

“Being an Olympic champion has been a goal for as long as I’ve known there were Olympics,” he said. “It’s crazy to think it’s only a year and a half away— it’ll be here and over before I know it. So I’ve got to be prepared.”