AEW announced Sunday night that Benjamin Satterley, known as PAC, has died at 40, and tributes from across the wrestling world have kept arriving in the day since. No cause of death has been released.
Satterley wrestled Saturday night at AEW All Out, opening the show with a loss to Andrade El Idolo in an AEW National Championship match. AEW’s statement announcing his death remembered a Newcastle upon Tyne native who began wrestling in 2004 and signed with the company in 2019.
Tony Khan Leads The AEW Tributes
AEW President Tony Khan said Satterley “defined excellence,” remembering him as a beloved husband and friend and praising his wrestling knowledge, skill, unprecedented athleticism and dedication to the sport he traveled the world to pursue.
Taz said he shook hands and shared a smirk with PAC in the arena hallway the night before All Out, a moment he said he will “remember forever.” Kyle Fletcher called PAC “one of my favorite wrestlers of all time” and said he was lucky to meet, work with and get to know his hero, writing “I love you, Ben. Rest easy mate.”
Fellow Death Triangle members Rey Fenix and Penta posted tributes to their Instagram stories, with Penta writing “God be with you and your family. Love you forever.” The Young Bucks’ Nick Jackson also shared a message on Instagram.
Triple H And WWE React
Triple H, who worked with Satterley in the early days of NXT, credited him as a major force behind the brand’s new era at NXT Arrival and called him an “extraordinary talent and even kinder human being.” Read more on Triple H’s tribute.
Paul Heyman called Satterley a “tremendous talent and even finer human being” and a “truly terrible loss.” WWE Raw General Manager Adam Pearce, who knew Satterley from the independent scene, said he was speechless and signed off “Godspeed, Bastard Pac.”
Sheamus said he first saw PAC wrestle in 2005 and “couldn’t believe what I was watching,” adding that he “truly defied gravity” and was “loved by everyone in the locker room.” Kevin Owens, one of PAC’s closest friends in the business, kept his message short.
Becky Lynch, who knew PAC long before either of them reached WWE, called him “one of the best in every way possible.”
Tommaso Ciampa posted on Instagram calling PAC “the most humble person I’ve ever met” and a “unicorn,” while Ilja Dragunov wrote that he was “generational, unbelievable, one of a kind.” Mustafa Ali, who worked with PAC in WWE’s cruiserweight division, wrote “Long live the King,” adding that Ben “protected and took care of the cruiserweight brothers every week” and calling him the best all around performer he had been in the ring with.
Natalya said PAC was always respectful and kind to her during his NXT run, when he and her husband Tyson Kidd worked together often. Nick Aldis said he ran into PAC at a restaurant near Nashville Airport a few weeks ago and is grateful that chance meeting happened. Bayley, Ric Flair and The Miz also posted condolences, with Flair calling PAC “a gifted talent with incredible athleticism & a kind person.”
Ospreay, Ripley And The First Wave
Will Ospreay, who shared the ring with PAC many times, called him “the greatest export from our country” and said he was honoured to have wrestled him so often.
Rhea Ripley wrote “What a tragic day,” calling PAC an extremely talented person and saying she was speechless.
Matt Hardy wrote, “Shocked & stunned about the sudden death of Pac,” and sent his thoughts to PAC’s family, friends and fans. Dustin Rhodes called him “an incredible man and talent loved by us all.” Swerve Strickland, among the first to respond, kept it to three words: “I cant man….”
Saraya said everyone who knew Satterley would describe an incredible human being, and called him “truly one of the best.” Nick Wayne recalled telling PAC after his All Out 2024 match with Ospreay, “I hope to one day be as good as you, man.” PAC smiled, thanked him and said Wayne would be better than him someday.
Death Riders Pay Tribute In The Ring
Death Riders stablemates Marina Shafir and Lance Archer both paid tribute in the ring at Warrior Wrestling in Chicago hours after the news broke. Shafir’s emotional speech is covered here, and Archer urged the crowd to tell the people they love how they feel while they still can. Shafir later posted her own message online, writing “My bastard brother. Where did you go?”
Anna Jay was on a Twitch stream when she learned of the death, and ended it in tears. Longtime AEW referee Bryce Remsburg said that to many PAC was a bastard, but to his own kids he was Ben, who brought them Kinder Eggs from the UK and turned them into Newcastle United fans.
Tributes Reach Japan And Mexico
Shingo Takagi, who worked with PAC in Dragon Gate and AEW, posted his own tribute in Japanese, saying he was proud to have shared the ring with him. New Japan Pro Wrestling, CMLL, RevPro and Dragon Gate, the promotion where PAC made his name overseas, all shared tributes of their own on social media.
Regal Praised PAC Less Than Two Weeks Ago
On September 15, WWE executive William Regal posted on X that he was on a flight home from Mexico with PAC, who had worked for CMLL that weekend. Regal called PAC one of his favorite people in wrestling and “the best Wrestler to come out of England since the 80’s.”
Regal said PAC was the only wrestler he watches and believes could beat him up, describing his work as far more aggressive and credible than that of other British wrestlers he admires. He also named Neville vs. Aleister Black at the UK tournament in Blackpool as one of his favorite matches he has seen live in the last 20 years.
We will update this story as more tributes and information become available.
