AEW Star PAC, Benjamin Satterley, Dies at 40

The acclaimed British wrestler competed at AEW All Out one night before the company announced his passing.

All Elite Wrestling has announced the death of Benjamin Satterley, the internationally acclaimed performer known to wrestling fans as PAC and formerly as Neville in WWE. He was 40 years old.

AEW confirmed Satterley’s passing through its verified social-media channels on Sunday night, September 27. The company did not disclose a cause of death.

“All Elite Wrestling is saddened to announce the passing of Benjamin Satterley, aka Pac,” AEW wrote before offering condolences to his family, friends and fans.

The news is especially shocking because PAC competed at AEW All Out on September 26, challenging Andrade El Idolo for the AEW National Championship in the opening match of the pay-per-view. Andrade retained after an intense contest lasting nearly 19 minutes.

There is currently no indication that PAC’s final match was connected to his death, and speculation should be avoided unless additional information is released by his family or AEW.

From Newcastle to the World Stage

Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, on August 22, 1986, Satterley began his professional wrestling career in 2004.

His extraordinary athleticism quickly separated him from his peers. Blending explosive speed, power and precision, he became known for breathtaking aerial offense that seemed to defy gravity. His signature Black Arrow, a corkscrew shooting-star press, became one of the most spectacular finishing moves in wrestling.

Satterley built his reputation across the British independent scene before competing internationally for promotions including Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, Ring of Honor, Chikara and Dragon Gate.

He found significant success in Japan, capturing Dragon Gate’s Open the Dream Gate, Open the Brave Gate, Open the Twin Gate and Open the Triangle Gate championships during different stages of his career.

Becoming Neville in WWE

Satterley signed with WWE in 2012 and became Adrian Neville in NXT.

He emerged as one of the defining performers of NXT’s rise into a major touring and televised brand. Neville captured the NXT Championship and twice held the NXT Tag Team Championship, becoming the first wrestler to win both titles.

After joining WWE’s main roster in 2015, his name was shortened to Neville. His aerial ability earned him the nickname “The Man That Gravity Forgot.”

Neville later reinvented himself as the ruthless “King of the Cruiserweights,” winning the WWE Cruiserweight Championship twice and bringing a harder edge to the division. He departed WWE in 2018 and returned to performing under the PAC name.

PAC Becomes All Elite

PAC signed with All Elite Wrestling in 2019 and immediately established himself as one of the promotion’s most dangerous competitors.

Known as “The Bastard,” he combined the high-flying brilliance that made him famous with an intense, unforgiving style. His matches against Kenny Omega, Orange Cassidy, Andrade El Idolo and other leading AEW wrestlers became highlights of the company’s early history.

PAC joined Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fénix to form Death Triangle, one of AEW’s most popular and accomplished trios.

In June 2022, PAC became the inaugural AEW All-Atlantic Champion, a title later renamed the AEW International Championship. Later that year, he and the Lucha Brothers captured the AEW World Trios Championship, making PAC the first wrestler to hold two AEW championships simultaneously.

He became a two-time AEW World Trios Champion in 2024 when he won the titles alongside Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta. PAC subsequently became part of the Death Riders and remained a featured member of AEW programming through his final appearance.

A Talent Unlike Any Other

AEW remembered Satterley for captivating audiences with his “innovative high-flying moves and incredible in-ring ability.”

That description only begins to capture what made PAC special. Few wrestlers could move with his speed while maintaining the physical intensity and believable aggression that defined his matches. Whether portraying the gravity-defying hero Neville or the permanently furious PAC, he performed with a level of precision that commanded attention.

His influence stretched across multiple eras and promotions. Fans in Britain watched a local standout reach the biggest stages in wrestling. Audiences in Japan, Europe and the United States saw him evolve repeatedly without sacrificing the athletic identity that made him unique.

Grapple News sends its deepest condolences to Benjamin Satterley’s family, friends, colleagues and fans around the world.

Rest in peace, PAC.