“Every day is a gift…There’s two kinds of eulogies or funerals…one of them is ‘This is what this man did’. The other is ‘who this man was’…when it’s all said and done, I know what kind of funeral I want” – Jon Moxley
Loss & Connection:
These eerie and prophetic words were spoken by the leader of the Death Riders, Jon Moxley after his match at AEW All Out and less than 24 hours one of the men, Ben “PAC” Satterley, that stood behind Moxley during this segment would be gone and he would also be the last person to walk of that segment. It maybe cliche to say but life is truly precious and tomorrow is never guaranteed.
This is sadly not the first time that I have had to write one of these pieces and even worse it will likely not be the last time that I’ll have to do this either. Although I have written pieces on Brodie Lee, Jay Briscoe, Owen Hart, Eddie Guerrero and Scott Hall, all who passed away shockingly, unexpectedly and gone way too soon.
Although we may not personally know these people, we as fans feel this deep connection to them, nonetheless. Week after week, show after show, we feel invested and that bond continues to grow so when something like this happens, we are shocked and saddened the loss is felt deeply as if we lost a friend or loved one even though we may only know them from TV. Just knowing them from TV does not lessen the pain and feelings of loss that we feel as they are genuine feelings.
That is part of the magic of what the men and women of this industry have done for many generations especially since the invention of television where the legendary Gorgeous George was the first in this business to build a connection with the audience as he was beamed into their homes. The magic of professional wrestling at its core is getting the audience to care about the characters and the stories being told.
We as fans become invested in the characters and stories being told and for many fans the weekly shows become an escape from the pain or stress that they may be dealing with in their everyday lives. Part of the success of the Austin vs McMahon feud of the late 90s was that whether you were a teenage or college student dealing a difficult teacher or professor or you were an adult with a difficult boss you could vicariously live through Austin beating up his evil boss. That connection that exists isn’t just one way, as the wrestlers feed off of our energy and passion as much as we feed off of the entertainment that they provide us.
Being a wrestling fan is a unique experience, even though we may not personally know these people on our TV or even all of our fellow fans we are connected by our love of professional wrestling. Like any family there are always siblings or relatives that may have disagreements and that exists in a world of toxic fandom known as the IWC. Where fans are accused of being a WWE Drone if you support or say anything positive about WWE or being accused of being a AEW Sicko if you support AEW. Unfortunately, I have certainly been accused of these things because of either something I have written or something I have said on a Wrestling Republic show over the years. I’m neither a drone or a sicko, I’m a wrestling fan and I love this business as a whole.
The truth is the tribalism and divides that are exacerbated by some toxic fans in the IWC or certain so-called “journalists” in this business push the us vs them narrative in order to serve their own agenda or to turn a profit on hate and discord is what exposes the darkest sides of the fandom. However, when tragedy happens that is when fans need to come together and most typically do and that has been shown a lot this week.
The Past Few Days:
I wasn’t able to watch AEW All Out when it aired Saturday, so I watched it Sunday morning, the show opened with Andrade vs PAC. Only a few hours later after I finished watching the show, I was scrolling Instagram and saw the news and immediately that knot in the stomach formed hoping that it was untrue and was some sick hoax being spread. We couldn’t have lost yet another young performer this early in his life, but unfortunately, it was not a hoax.
Other than shock, my mind immediately went to the thought wait he just wrestled last night…how could this be?!? I began thinking how eerily similar this felt to the passing of Ultimate Warrior in 2014, he entered the HOF days before and had one last appearance on Monday Night Raw cutting a promo about legacy and 24 hours later he would be gone. Obviously, we would find out on Wednesday that PAC’s last segment also had a mortality take that was sadly prophetic.
The industry and fans around the world immediately flooded social media with their love for PAC not just the wrestler, but Ben Satterley the person. The made up tribalistic walls came crashing down as none of that garbage matters when we as a wrestling fan community when one of our soldiers loses their lives at only 40 years old. As someone that only knew PAC the performer, every indication from what has been written or said by the people that actually knew Ben Satterley, he was truly beloved by every single person in this industry that came across him.
I want to share a poem with you, that immediately came to mind when I was reading the tributes from PAC’s brothers and sisters in this business across the wrestling landscape that I think sums up the Man that this world lost:
“Measure of a Man (Author is Anonymous)
Not “How did he die?” But “How did he live?”
Not “What did he gain?” But “What did he give?”
Not “What was his station?” But “Had he a heart?”
And “How did he play his God-given part?”
Not “What was his shrine?” Nor “What was his creed?”
But “Had he befriended those really in need?”
Not “What did the piece in the newspaper say?”
But “How many were sorry when he passed away?”
Was he ever ready with a word of good cheer, to bring back a smile, to banish a tear?
These are the units to measure the worth,
Of a man as a man, regardless of birth.”
The Wrestler:
My first exposure like many fans to PAC was on NXT Arrival, the first major live event airing on the recently launched WWE Network in 2014. It was on this show that the man then known as Adrian Neville would challenge for the NXT Championship against Bo Dallas in a ladder match. I distinctly remember being unable to watch this match live, but I was not alone as the network feed crapped the bed just in time for the main event. Fans immediately began saying they better figure this out before WrestleMania in a few weeks, which they did.
When I finally got to see the match, I was blown away by Neville. He was like a cross between WWE HOFamers, AJ Styles and Sean Waltman. The fluidity in that ring that he possessed in every action he did. Simply flawless in that ring and I remember thinking this kid is special and he isn’t even thirty. Neville was one of those performers that no matter who he was in the ring with they were better for it. He put on absolute classics night in and night out.
I think his feud with Sami Zayn is my favorite of his NXT/WWE run as two real life best friends bought the absolute best out of one another and painted a masterpiece in that ring whenever they touched. This was the black and gold era when NXT was just so unique and special, and there is no question that was because of the roster of men and women that had a passion and a drive to show the world that they have arrived.
As Neville he was billed as the Man that Gravity Forgot, but the truth is even though gravity may have forgot him, no one that saw this man in that ring perform would never forget him. From the moment I saw this man deliver his Red Arrow finisher for the first time to when I saw him deliver his last Black Arrow, I always had the same thought my mind can’t process how he is doing the move that my eyes are witnessing.
I knew he was a special talent, but I also knew the odds were against him in a WWE led by Vince McMahon, who would look at his size and think he is too small to push. Luckily, there was another place for PAC to apply his craft to a global audience and that was in newly being launched AEW.
Neville was in the rear-view mirror as he was once again PAC, a name that he established on the independent scene prior to WWE and a silent tribute to a nickname his father gave him. PAC was the mirror opposite of the Neville character, like his new moniker PAC was Bast***. This aggressive version combined with his unmatched athleticism eliminated any thoughts that he wasn’t credible and dangerous to his opponents regardless of his size. My favorite PAC match in AEW was at All Out against Kenny Omega. I remember going into this match thinking no way they will allow PAC to beat Omega, but they not only had PAC win but in dramatic fashion as Omega passed out to the brutalizer submission. This was such a masterpiece that they painted in that ring and exposed that WWE screwed up letting this diamond go.
PAC never got the singles run to be AEW World champion, which now puts him on the list of one of the best in ring talents to never to have held a world championship. However, he excelled in every role he was given in AEW, but even though he wasn’t given the world title run, he absolutely delivered as a member of the Death Triangle with the Lucha Bros and his final stable the Death Riders. AEW Trios champion legend holding that championship for 360 days across two reigns. PAC never doubted his worth in this business and chased his dream and excelled everywhere he went.
Tributes:
WWE opened RAW and NXT with this graphic in tribute to Neville and as I this writing I assume they will air this graphic on Friday as well to open Smackdown. A few talents did wear arm bands in tribute to their fallen brother. I didn’t expect them to do the ten-bell salute as traditionally they let the home promotion do it when an active performer passes. Out of respect it makes the most sense for the first ten bell to take place in AEW his home.
However, even though I commend WWE for airing the graphic and allowing the arm bands my personal opinion is you allowed AEW to do the ten bell on Wednesday night, they should do the ten bell on Smackdown especially since the reigning WWE Champion, Sami Zayn was incredibly close to PAC and won the NXT Championship off of PAC.
The AAA/WWE Worlds Collide show shouldn’t have aired in competition of AEW Dynamite after PAC’s passing because they knew the moment PAC passed that Dynamite would be a tribute show the same way WWE would have done it. It was a classless act by TKO in my opinion; you’re the industry leader act like it! They could have moved it so it would be over before Dynamite aired or better yet aired it after Smackdown airs on Friday especially since it was a taped show anyway. Making it worse they didn’t edit in the Neville graphic for it, but they at least let Neville’s former NXT tag champ partner, Corey Graves pay tribute on commentary.
AEW did everything correct here; they paid tribute to their fallen brother in the classiest way any company could have done it. Sadly, in its relatively short existence AEW has suffered through four active talents passing and tributes needed to be done. The video packages of all the talents talking about PAC/Ben broke your heart as a fan. The talents gave everything they had in that ring in tribute to the man that they loved.
I believe it was Cody Rhodes who said it after his legendary father, Dusty Rhodes passed away that he wanted to be out in that ring because he felt connected to him when in there. Over the years talent have said they want to be in the ring for tribute shows as they feel at peace doing the thing that they love as a way of coping with the grief.
Bryan Danielson coming out of his retirement/hiatus to team with the Death Riders or the former BCC which he was a part of with PAC was so fitting and touching. You saw the pain on Bryan’s face the entire night and you felt how much pain every performer was going through as we all in the wrestling community try to process the loss.
This lasting shot of the empty chair is the saddest yet most fitting way to have ended Dynamite.
I have discussed this a little in previous pieces, four years ago I suffered two back-to-back tragic losses in my personal life in a matter of a few weeks. Losses that cut so deep that you have no idea how you can ever put the pieces of your life back together. Watching and talking about wrestling helped me feel a sense of normalcy and a sense of peace when I desperately needed it. There is a quote from the movie, Rocky Balboa that comes to mind and is a quote that I actually have hanging up as a motivator whenever the pain pops back up:
“Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place, and I don’t care how tough you are… it will beat you to your knees and keep you there if you let it. You, me or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit… and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward.” – Rocky Balboa
Your loved ones and in this case, PAC would want all of us to keep moving forward in our lives and pursue of dreams and to live every day to the fullest. It isn’t about how much time you are given on this Earth as none of us know when our number is up, it is about making everyday count and a reminder to tell those that matter to us how we feel about them.
RIP “PAC” Ben Satterley and thank you for every moment that you gave me and fans around the world. My thoughts, prayers and condolences go out to his family, friends and fans around the world.
ITTMP
