Blast from the past: Rewatch Craig Wirth trying his hand at wrestling

SALT LAKE CITY ( ABC4 ) — In September, ABC4’s Craig Wirth will be starting his 55th year in television — and as the summer months wrap up, he thought it would be fun to take viewers back in time.

A few decades ago, Wirth got into the ring at Max Payne’s Pro Wrestling School in American Fork to try it out.

“I just tell anybody that thinks that wrestling is not real and it’s not something that they think that they can see any real value in, come down to the wrestling school and try it yourself,” Payne told Wirth in 1989.

And try it he did — Wirth took on the name Duke of Death and fought Payne in the ring.

Wirth and Payne went back and forth, fighting each other and trading threats.

“I’m gonna beat you like a ragdoll,” Payne said. “I’m gonna tear you limb from limb.”

Wirth said that he was the strong one in the match, and said he was working to wear out Payne during the match.

However, while all in good fun, Wirth did not come out on top.

“I think I lost,” Wirth said.

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