'Wheel of Fortune' Host Pat Sajak Tackles Contestant in Strange Moment

Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak is a man of many talents, but wrestling might not be one of them. On Tuesday's episode of the beloved game show, contestant Fred made the mistake of telling Sajak he is a professional wrestler. He went on to dominate the show, solving every puzzle and being met with Sajak's attempt at body-slamming.

Fred's introductory card mentioned that he is a drama teacher. "Yes, I'm a drama teacher and I am also a bar trivia host, and I am a professional wrestler," he told Sajak. He gets paid "very little" to wrestle and only does it "for the fun." He certainly had a lot of fun on Wheel, leaving the other two contestants in the dust. Fred solved every puzzle, and even succeeded in the bonus round, winning $75,000.

"Just because he's a professional wrestler, you want me to body-slam him for you?" Sajak asked the other contestants. It's unclear if they told the 76-year-old if he should try it. Sajak did it anyway, and it was weird. He tried to surprise Fred from behind, wrapping his arm around the contestant's neck. Fred didn't look completely happy about that. He also lifted Sajak off the ground, which may have had members of the host's family members grimacing back home.

Some may have found the moment strange, but Wheel fans embraced it on YouTube. "Loved when pat put on the wrestling moves! Hilarious," one wrote. "I love that Pat comes in for the hold immediately after the dude wins 75k. This is amazing thank you for this, Pat," another commented. "I took the wrestling at the end as a bit of fun," another wrote.

Sajak has been hosting Wheel since 1981, while Vanna White joined in late 1982. The show was renewed through 2027-2028, but Sony Pictures Television has not announced if they will continue hosting through that stretch. They have hinted in recent interviews that retirement could come sooner rather than later.

"Years go by fast. We're getting near the end. It's been a long [time]. We're not gonna do this for another 40 years. The end is near," Sajak told Entertainment Tonight in September 2022. "It's an honor to have been in people's living rooms for that long. People were out there welcoming us. We're happy and proud."

Meanwhile, White told PEOPLE in December 2022 it was "depressing" to think of life without the show. "I think when Merv Griffin chose both of us, 40 and 41 years ago, he saw something between us – a brother-sister type relationship," White said. "And I think that is kind of what it is. He saw that we would be able to get along, and we do. We are like a brother and sister team."