During Ring of Honor’s television taping in Jacksonville on Monday, Tony Khan opened the proceedings by paying tribute to the late AEW star PAC.
Khan spoke to the ROH audience and announced that the upcoming Wednesday episode of AEW Dynamite will serve as a tribute to PAC. He noted that, amid a challenging period for the promotion, the competitors appearing on both tonight’s and Wednesday’s shows are participating voluntarily, motivated by their respect and affection for PAC (Benjamin Satterley).
A moment of silence followed by a ten‑bell salute honored PAC, after which Khan reflected on the wrestler’s significance to himself and to AEW.
“I’ve never met a person who was more beloved by his peers and his friends,” Khan said. “And it was such a pleasure to spend time with Ben outside of wrestling as well, whether it was just having dinner or watching the football match or traveling. Ben is a very first‑class person, and he left behind a lovely wife and a lot of great friends and a legacy that will last forever.”
Wednesday’s Dynamite will take place at the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh; Khan noted that PAC competed in the main event during AEW’s inaugural show at that venue. The fourth episode of Dynamite, aired in 2019, concluded with a time‑limit draw between PAC and Jon Moxley.
“He’s somebody I knew would be a big part of the company and somebody that outside of wrestling also became a big part of my life, just like for the wrestlers in the back and so many people around wrestling — Ben has been a huge part of their lives,” Khan said.
As the wrestling community grapples with this tragic loss, new details about PAC’s passing have emerged. The 40‑year‑old was declared dead on Sunday afternoon after being discovered unresponsive in a vehicle outside a CAVA restaurant near Chicago O’Hare International Airport. An initial autopsy has been conducted, though the official cause of death remains pending further testing. PAC had competed against AEW National Champion Andrade El Idolo at All Out in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, just the night before.
Joseph Currier
Joseph Currier is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated’s wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.
