Hey friends, how are we doing?
Normally, the schedule would call for another edition of Wrestling Roulette, with this being a "10" edition of the Weekly Watchlist. And I'll be straight up with you guys, I had it all figured out for weeks. I have a whole slew of UWF-I matches I recently added to my home media server that I was wanting to get through, so I threw all the matched I had into a spreadsheet (just over 200 entries) and had about a dozen matches already picked out for the week of watching, knowing I'd probably need to spin the wheel again to pick 4 or 5 worth talking about.
But then, on Saturday night, the news broke.
PAC passed away.
I was totally stunned by the news, just like everyone else. And that night, I decided to completely flip the script. My UWF-I roulette will have to wait for another week (hopefully I'll return to this idea again soon) as it's time for me to pay tribute to one of the very best of the modern age.
This week is for the Bastard.
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| AEW via Yahoo Sports |
Editors note: This post is formatted uniquely, as I wanted this to be an all-encompassing tribute to PAC. As a result, there is an "extension" to my Weekly Roundup piece after the matches are reviewed. If you need to read this week's edition in pieces, please do. Look after your mental well being.
📖 - 38 minutes
Here's what I watched for the week;
AEW All Out 2026
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| AEW |
Boy, All Out sure felt like it was a month ago, doesn't it? One of the longest weeks for wrestling fans was kicked off by a fantastic outing from AEW following the massive success that was All In 2026. I tried to watch the Tailgate Brawl live prior to the event, but all I got was the pre-show talking heads leading into the show. Not much to note from that card, so we'll get right into the real meat and potatoes.
Darby Allin & Steven Borden vs. Don Callis Family 🟡
Steven Borden's first Pay-Per-View outing turned out to be a rather scary one, with an unexpected injury costing him and Darby the match. Thankfully, all reports claim that Borden is doing well, my thoughts are with him. Despite this, this match was fast paced and exciting but never had a chance to really get into second gear. Just when they were starting to build up a good head of steam, the injury happened and the entire match had to be called off. I do wish we got to see a proper finish here, not just because it would have meant that Borden wouldn't have been injured, but just to get a concrete finish here. Regardless, this match was fine, and I'm trying not to let the injury cloud my overall judgment of the preceding action.
Persephone vs. Dani Luna 🟢
Answering Persephone's TBS open challenge, Dani Luna made a surprise appearance in her AEW debut. Luna looked fantastic in this match, looking like she belonged on the big stage against one of the very best in Persephone. In all honesty, if Perse wasn't getting the push she is currently getting while alongside Baker and if the title hadn't changed hands as recently as All In, I wouldn't have been surprised if Luna picked up the victory here. Maybe I'm just biased (DPW forever) but I think giving Luna that rub would have been fantastic. Regardless, a great showing for her debut, the sky is the limit for Luna.
Kazuchika Okada vs. Tommaso Ciampa 🟢⭐
Alright, alright, maybe I am biased, but this was my match of the night, far and away. Never once have I been quiet about my complete love and adoration for Ciampa, with this match arguably being his biggest since signing with AEW. Sure, he fought Darby Allin for the world title, but Okada on PPV?! That's something else entirely. Okada, to his credit, gave more than his usual 60% effort here, actually looking like he wanted to be in the ring tonight. This was probably 80% effort from Okada and 120% effort from Ciampa, he gave us everything in this match and proved that he can hang with the very best. I mean, honestly, you could put Ciampa in the ring with just about anyone and get a great match out of them, his match quality floor is just that high, IMO. Ciampa also made this night completely unforgettable for his daughter, Willow, who celebrated her 8th birthday the same day as this show. Okada went to get a high five, was denied, so he flipped her off. After asking her mom, Jessie, if she could, WIllow gave him the double bird, with the crowd popping huge before singing her "happy birthday" in unison. So, so good. I adored this match.
The Brawling Birds vs. Divine Dominion - Chicago Street Fight 🟢
Two words can best describe this match; wild plunder. As if the Divine Dominion weren't already intimidating enough, the prospect of these two burly women having access and the full dispensation to use weapons is a terrifying thought. Kross and Bayne spend the early moments of this match wailing on Hayter and Windsor, with the former stuck like a flipped over turtle in a broken table for a comically long amount of time. Once the Birds are back together, they more than hold their own, making use of every inch of the ring and every weapon at their disposal, including sending Kross into a piece of the barricade after is brought inside the ring, sending Bayne into a barbed-wire board, and Kross into a pile of thumbtacks for the finish. A fantastic showing from all involved.
Swerve Strickland & The New Level vs. Adam Page & Brodido 🟢
The match of the night for many, and for good reason, it's not hard to believe that you'd get an exceptional match when you have 6 of the very best squaring off against each other. There were a few stories woven through this match, with Austin Creed trying to stand up to Brody King and meet the brute strength for strength, Bandido playing the "babyface in peril," and Swerve and Hangman trying to not actually kill one another. The tension and action in this match built beautifully, with action taking place everywhere all at once. Far and away the craziest moment of this match came when Bandido held Swerve, Kofi and Creed on his shoulders all at once. Good lord. These 6 worked together beautifully, with all of their styles, stories, and motivations blending together into a beautiful spectacle. Big love for this match. If we keep having matches and stories like this, the Trios titles just might mean something before the end of 2026. Fingers crossed they can reach... a New Level.
Willow Nightingale vs. Thekla 🟢
Willow's first match back since her loss to Mercedes Mone at All In, she did a good job of keeping pace with Thekla and really, really giving it to the former champion. As if a nagging hand injury didn't already have the stakes for this match ratcheted up a few notches, the prospect of getting to fight for the Women's World Title in a month's time made this match even more important, with both women putting in a solid effort to try and put the other away. Willow put up a valiant effort to try and put Thekla away, nearly scoring the win even after the rest of the Triangle of Madness interfered, but Thekla proved to be just too much for her to handle in this match. Great work all around.
Cage And Cope vs. The Young Bucks vs. FTR - Three Way Ladder Match 🟢
The semi-main event of the night proved to be the most bonkers match of the whole show, with 6 men attempting to recreate the same magic Edg- I mean, Copeland and Christian created over 20 years ago. It's pretty crazy to think that those matches were as far back now as they are, but that's just how time works. I was really hoping the build to this would have leaned more into Copeland's "if I do another ladder match I will die" claim he made a while back, but they opted instead for "we're ladder match vets, this will be a cakewalk." To the surprise of none, this was not a cakewalk for the champs, with Christian getting hard way colour early on and the ladders proving to be just as unforgiving as ever. In a lot of ways, this match was similar to the trios outing from earlier, being a perpetual motion machine of weapons and madness, there was very little downtime here and everyone worked exceptionally well with each other. I thoroughly enjoyed this match.
Will Ospreay vs. Jon Moxley 🟡
Boy, this was an interesting match, let's just say that. I can't help but feel like Mox and Ospreay had a lot of plans and ideas to make this match really work, but they stumbled on the ultimate delivery here. Moxley wanted to "wrestle" a match against Ospreay, slowing things down and really test the champion in his first match as the newly crowned champion, but there was a bit of disconnect here with the overall expectation versus what we got. I don't want to say "we/I ruined this match for ourselves/myself" but I can't help but feel this match wasn't as good as anyone/I expected it to be (pardon me for speaking for the masses for a moment). Ospreay was eventually able to kick this match into his comfortable gear as things got deeper, with the Death Rider interference where I was eventually lost. I do understand the general story of "Moxley threw everything and the kitchen sink at Ospreay but he could not beat him" as the overarching story here, but I do wish we didn't get the interference we did get. I was just starting to get into this match and then Marina and Yuta got involved and the referee got knocked out. Not a fan of these kinds of main event match structures. Maybe it's all the 'fed matches that ended like this when I was still watching thayt really soured me but I'd rather have a straight finish than a schmoz in the main event, especially when we are trying to establish Ospreay as the guy. Drill him with 2 Death Riders and have him escape at 2.999 and kill Moxley with a single Hidden Blade/Stormbreaker/Tiger Driver, that would have done a whole lot more than all the interference, IMO.
Benjamin Satterley "PAC" - 1986-2026
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| Ricky Havlik - All Elite Wrestling |
Born Benjamin Satterly on August 22nd of 1986 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, Satterly began training for professional wrestling by the age of 16. Already seasoned in the backyard scene for such "promotions" as TWXW and FXW, Satterly showed incredible technical and athletic ability that made him a standout among his peers. By 18, he started to take his training more seriously, learning under Mark Sloan by the Frontier Wrestling Alliance Academy in Gateshead.
From there, Satterly became a globe trotting wrestler, making his pro debut in 2004 in a losing effort to "Assassin" on March 27, wrestling for IWF in West Denton, UK. The origin for his name Pac originally came out from a nickname his father gave him, having a shredded physique as a young man, with his father referred to him as "six-pack." Now, needing a name to compete under, Satterly shortened the nickname to make it more befitting a wrestler, settling on Pac (often stylized in later years as PAC).
Spending time on the UK indies wrestling for the likes of wXw, IPW:UK, and 3CW, it took a few years for Pac to find a "home promotion." By 2007, PAC would make his way to Japan, finding himself working for Dragon Gate, the promotion where he would spend the majority of his time. PAC also found himself in the USA during these years, wrestling for PWG, Ring of Honor and CHIKARA, while also making time to return to his native England to wrestle for various promotions.
After nearly 10 years in wrestling, PAC had built up an impressive resume of matches and title wins. His wars with El Generico were highly sought after from tape traders the world over, not to mention the rest of his body of work. Both wrestlers and fans alike were mesmerized by PAC's grace and breathtaking athletic ability inside the ring, his technique and athletic prowess only getting better and better as the years went on. For fans, PAC was a name spoke of in hushed whispers on forums and tape trading circles, a name that you had to see to believe. For wrestlers, both seasoned and burgeoning, PAC was someone they wanted to see, and feel, to believe, becoming a dream opponent for both the wrestlers he shared locker rooms with as well as those that grew up watching his work.
By 2012, PAC would be picked up by the WWE, now being referred to as Adrian Neville, wrestling for the company's new developmental brand NXT. Winning the NXT Tag Team Titles 3 separate times, twice alongside commentator-to-be Corey Graves, Neville became the fourth man to win the NXT Title, defeating Bo Dallas at the start of 2014 to kick off a 287 day title reign. Losing the title to Sami Zayn (no relation to El Generico), Neville, the Adrian part of his name being dropped, debuted on Monday Night RAW in 2015, they leaned heavily into his previous moniker "The Man That Gravity Forgot." Getting lost in the shuffle following his debut, it wasn't until the WWE debuted the Cruiserweight division in 2016, with a heel turn at the end of the year shifting his character drastically. Often seen as the "land of the giants," it can be difficult for those with a smaller stature to stand out in WWE, with the Cruiserweight division serving as a way to highlight men with PAC's talents. Calling himself "The King of the Cruiserweights," he won the Cruiserweight Championship at the 2017 Royal Rumble, seating himself at the top of the division and ruling with an iron fist. Match after match, Neville elevated the Cruiserweight division to something worth watching, his matches often stealing the show when they were given time to breathe. Despite this, Neville was released from the WWE in August of 2018, his status with the company in dispute since October of 2017.
I have a few distinct memories from this time, one of which comes from WrestleMania 33, one of my favourite of the recent Mania's. I remember going to my local WalMart a few months after the show aired and finding a DVD copy of the show, purchasing it excitedly. To my dismay, one of my favourite matches from the show, Neville's pre-show title defence against Austin Aries, was not on the DVD. I remember thinking "me buying this is a small bit of support for some of my favourite wrestlers," but knowing Neville wouldn't see a penny from me made me sad. My second memory comes from my time playing WWE2K18. I regularly bought WWE's 2K releases once I picked up 2K16 on a whim. I remember how excited I was to play 2K18, rooting around the roster and making dream matches of my own. When I finally got into playing Universe Mode, I remember getting excited at the tag team pairings I could cook up. Around this time, I was a massive fan of Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa, loving their NXT wars and falling in love with them as wrestlers. One of my many ideas was pairing up Neville and Ciampa in my WWE Universe, calling them "The Psycho Kings," borrowing Ciampa's "Psycho Killer" and Neville's "King of the Cruiserweights" monikers and smashing them together. I mean, just think how crazy that pairing would have been? Two insane bastards out to take every scrap of gold they could find. God, that would have been so fun.
After leaving the WWE in 2018, Neville, now going back to being referred to PAC, returned to his roots. He wrestled for Dragon Gate along with making a handful of indie appearances, his name and stock being elevated to making him an "attraction" following his time in the WWE. At this point in his career, nearly 15 years after his debut, PAC had been a champion just about everywhere he went. A PWG World Tag Team Champion, a three time Open The Triangle Gate and 1 time Open The Twin Gate Champion, a 2 time wXw World Lightweight Champion and by 2019, he reached 229 days as the Open The Dream Gate Champion, to name but a few of his accolades.
In 2019, AEW announced its formation, following the landmark success of All In 2018, with wrestlers such as Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, Cody Rhodes, Chris Jericho, and Adam Page being among the first few names confirmed to be signed by the new promotion. During their inaugural press conference, while still holding the Open The Dream Gate Championship, PAC confronted "Hangman" Adam Page, dressed in his full gear, with everyone else at the presser dressed to impress. In a later "Being the Elite" YouTube video, Adam Page appeared in public wearing his "full gear," confused as to why The Bucks and Rhodes appeared disgusted at his appearance. "You guys liked it when PAC did it," he remarked, seeing no issue with wearing trunks and a bullrope outside of the arena. "If I had that body, I'd go to the grocery store like that," Rhodes remarked, receiving adulation from Matt and Nick Jackson. Page would eventually relent and put on a pair of blue jeans, but this clip and PAC's insistence on remaining in full gimmick at all times eventually led to the naming of one of AEW's Pay-Per-View shows, Full Gear.
Becoming a top contender in AEW, PAC went to war with Kenny Omega in some of the earliest episodes of Dynamite and PPV events, defeating him in the first official AEW PPV, All Out 2019, as well as defeating Adam Page on the first episode of Dynamite. Forming the Death Triangle in 2020 alongside Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fenix, PAC would win his first of 2 AEW World Trios Championships, leading to a legendary Best of Seven Series against The Elite in 2022. Simultaneously holding the Trios Titles, PAC was AEW's inaugural All-Atlantic Champion, winning the title in June of 2022 to become AEW's first ever double champion. Injuries and time away put PAC on the shelf for a portion of 2023, with his second Trios Title victory coming at All In London 2024, becoming the first UK born AEW wrestler to win a title on home soil. A member of the Blackpool Combat Club mere weeks before becoming the Death Riders, PAC found camaraderie in this group, carving a swathe of destruction in AEW. A second injury in 2025 sidelined PAC for a few months, but he returned flanking his Death Riders brothers for the rest of 2025 and 2026.
Finding himself in contention for the AEW National Championship at All Out 2026, PAC would wrestle his final match against Andrade El Idolo in a losing effort. Following his sudden and tragic passing less than 24 hours after his final match, the wrestling world grieved as one, sharing stories and memories of PAC's career. Wrestling some of his most memorable matches in the final years of his career, it seemed like PAC's ceiling was still miles away as he entered his 22nd year in the business. Never someone that needed a mountain of explanation for why he suddenly found himself in title contention, PAC was just that damn good. If I were to list, quote, or remark on every good word said about PAC here, I'd have you reading for the next few days, as my BlueSky timeline was nothing but love and adulation for a man that called himself "the bastard" and looked to be about as pleased as your father when he's stuck in 5 o'clock gridlock. A professional that was as humble as they came, PAC went out of his way to celebrate and elevate his peers, never having an ego despite being more than deserving of carrying his head high.
The September 30th edition of AEW Dynamite was a tribute show for PAC, with Excalibur opening the show with a special message commemorating his friend and colleague.
"Benjamin was a bastard in name only, he was a devoted son, a loving husband and a dear friend. He was an incredible athlete and a relentless perfectionist; your favourite wrestlers favourite wrestler. But he was also the most humble, warm and supportive person you could imagine. From a distance, he appeared quiet and reserved, but if you got him talking about sausage dogs, his family, his beloved magpies, dance hall music, or the hedgehogs that visited his garden, he would light up and his passion would shine. Whether you knew him as PAC, Neville, The King of the Cruiserweights, The Man That Gravity Forgot, or simply Ben, you knew he was one of a kind and there will never be another like him. One day we'll meet again, gannin along the Scotswood Road to see the Blaydon Races. We love you bubba, we miss you."
-Excalibur - 09/30/2026 AEW Dynamite
The rest of the show was chock full of tributes, which would take hours to properly write about. I attempted to do some of them justice at the end of this week's blog post.
To some, he was Ben, to many he was Neville, and to the rest, he was PAC. A man that changed the way people viewed aerial and technical wrestling from the moment he stepped between the ropes. Stars like Ospreay and Ricochet, who wrestled a main event match in his honour on the AEW tribute show, cite PAC as being a living legend and a key inspiration for their in-ring style. It's sad that these kinds of acknowledgements only come after someone's passing, but there's a solid argument to be made that the modern landscape of wrestling would look drastically different if PAC had never laced up his boots.
In a world of sharks, backbiters and backstabbers, be a bastard. Be like PAC. Wrestling, and the world at large, is better off for having him in it.
Rest easy, PAC, you are dearly missed. Gravity may have forgotten you, but we never will.
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| via PAC on X |
If you would like to purchase PAC merchandise, know that 100% of the proceeds will go to support the Satterly family.
| Match | Show | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Kevin Steen vs. PAC | PWG Holy Diver Down | 02/24/2007 |
| Adrian Neville vs. Sami Zayn | WWE NXT TakeOver: R Evolution | 12/11/2014 |
| Kzy vs. PAC | Dragon Gate Truth Gate 2019 - Day 5 | 02/10/2019 |
| Orange Cassidy vs. PAC | AEW Revolution 2020 | 02/29/2020 |
| Andrade El Idolo vs. PAC | AEW All Out 2026 | 09/26/2026 |
• • • • •
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| Code of Hon- oh wait, wrong company. PWG |
Bell To Bell
Something I didn't realize when I picked this match for the review is that this is PAC's 100th official match, probably with a few unrecorded matches happening in between and plenty of backyard outings before he "officially" debuted in '04. I could have reviewed one of the classic wars with El Generico, but I opted for a lesser known but still highly celebrated match with this Steen encounter.
This was a real "clash of styles" with the high flying PAC facing off against "Mr. Wrestling" Kevin Steen (Owens). Steen does his best to try and out-wrestle PAC in the early moments of this match, grounding him with headlocks and the like, with PAC doing everything he can to try and escape and build up some momentum. It's not like PAC can't realistically keep up with Steen on the mat, but Steen's entire focus during this point in time was proving that he was a "wrestler" and could keep guys in control with basic, fundamental moves and holds.
This is made very apparent when PAC tries for a Mexican surfboard, with his smaller stature making it difficult for him to pull the move off. Minutes later, Steen is able to effortlessly take PAC over for the surfboard, but the move allows for PAC to build up his signature head of steam, using his smaller stature and blistering speed to gain an advantage against Steen. It's short lived, but is a good example of how good PAC is at taking advantage of even the smallest window. Steen tosses PAC out to the floor at one point and wears him down around the ring, but PAC is able to regain the advantage when they are back inside the ropes.
Despite Steen wearing him down constantly, PAC is valiant and does everything in his power to survive, kicking Steen in the head during a pin escape and attacking his legs when he circles a grounded PAC. A massive lariat and German suplex turn PAC completely inside out, looking like they should have killed him, but he manages to survive, despite looking worse for wear. His comeback happens after Steen misses a spear to the corner, connecting with the ringpost and falling to the floor as PAC takes flight from the top with a corkscrew shooting star press. They don't give it a name here, so I'm not sure if we're calling it the Red Arrow or it's lesser known name of "British Airways," but that's what this was.
Despite getting his ass kicked the majority of the match, PAC is able to still hold his own against Steen here, his much larger foe slowed considerably after falling to the floor. This difference in speed works to PAC's advantage, who is able to spike Steen with a crazy looking poison-rana and nearly catch him with a hurricanrana off the top rope, but Steen turns it into a massive sit-out powerbomb that nearly finishes him off. A shooting star senton nearly scores him the three, but Steen survives, the pinfall escape windows getting narrower and narrower as the match goes on. The next time PAC ascends to the top is the last, as he is able to land his corkscrew shooting star press, looking as beautiful here in 2007 as it does in 2026. Covering Steen, he scores the three.
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| The Red Arrow in its earliest form. PWG |
After the bell, Steen gets on the mic and cuts a promo on PAC, giving him his flowers following his loss. His words end up being rather prophetic, given the career that PAC would go on to have.
"Before I went to England in May of last year, they told me I was wrestling this guy PAC, and they said 'this guy is the best high flyer you will ever see.' And I said, 'well motherfucker, you're talking to the best high flyer you've ever seen!' Actually, I didn't say that, I don't talk like that at all. And then, when I was in Japan, in Dragon Gate, I heard PAC was coming to PWG. And you know what that made me? Well that made me very happy, because after I wrestled you in May, I talked to the PWG promoters, I talk to a lot of American promoters, and I told them 'you need to get this guy PAC right now because he's gonna be something special.' And originally, PWG was gonna fly you here for Battle of Los Angeles but it didn't work out. Then I went to Japan, and I'll tell you, PAC, the exact same thing I told PWG promoters, I told the other promoters, and I told the Dragon Gate promoters, and that is; 'PAC is simply the most amazing wrestler I have ever seen.' And I know, it might not mean much coming from Kevin Steen, but in a world where reality and fiction enter one a lot, I can tell you this, what I just said, was as real as it gets. Now I tell you this, because I want you to remember one thing; I didn't have a lot to do with you getting all the bookings you got, you did all the work. But please, when you're a big star and you're making a lot of money, remember Kevin Steen is broke and needs your help."
Shaking hands and hugging after the final bell, Steen's words ring truer than ever nearly 20 years later. Sure, both men ended up achieving stardom beyond their wildest dreams, but he was right on the money when he said "PAC is simply the most amazing wrestler I have ever seen."
Match Time: 21:54
The blueprint for PAC is here and clear for all to see, whether they realize it or not. Not only are his aerial moves top notch, but his salesmanship is exceptional as well, making Steen look like a legitimate threat to him having any sort of success in this match. Both men are in peak form here in there early years and have years upon years of success ahead of them, whether they realize it yet or not. The sky is truly the limit for both involved.
• • • • •
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| Will their friendship survive? WWE |
Basic Breakdown
The pre-match video package, that WWE is so good at doing, highlights the story going into this match. PAC, wrestling as Adrian Neville here, believes that his good friend Sami Zayn lacks the "killer instinct" that is necessary to be at the top of NXT as champion. Despite being as good as he is, he believes that Zayn lacks that extra "oomph" that he needs to carry himself over the finish line to be the champion. Raising the stakes, Zayn wants to put his career on the line, with Neville initially refusing to wager Zayn's career in this match, saying "I will not be held responsible for ending your dream. What you do post-match is your prerogative, it will not be my burden to bear." A handshake is extended by the champ, with Zayn responding with a slap, saying "it's not about respect between you and I." Zayn is determined to take the gold at TakeOver, no matter what it takes.
Bell To Bell
Man, hearing Zayn's old theme in the classic NXT Full Sail University really takes me back. I admittedly only saw Zayn on the main roster when I was actively watching, but the Full Sail atmosphere will never again be matched. What a time, man. What an era. Crazy to think that WWE basically had the best "pseudo-indie" in the world for a couple years with black and gold NXT, eh?
The PAC we saw in 2007 is much, much different from the Neville we see in 2014, leaning into a more heelish character after refining his craft across the globe in promotions like Dragon Gate. Zayn was the easily-beloved underdog here, the crowd always behind their favourite ska-enthusiast. They start things slow, with some basic chair grappling to feel each other out and look for early openings. Both men are fundamentally sound, able to move like cats, and are very, very familiar with one another, with Neville's wars with El Generico (no relation to Sami Zayn) being some of the best on the American indies in years prior.
Zayn is able to gain the early advantage with his signature Arabian press to the outside, proving that Neville isn't the only one that knows how to soar completely effortlessly. Oddly enough, Sami Zayn, being only slightly larger than Neville, plays the "larger babyface" role here, laying into the champion with some strong offence early. Neville, to his part, is no slouch here, his burly physique lending to him easily being able to wear Zayn down to the canvas with headlocks, European uppercuts, and stuff dropkicks. Similarly to the age old adage of "styles make matches," putting two very similar wrestlers in the ring together can create magic in equal measure. The speed and athleticism these two are able to display rivals just about anything else you'd see in WWE at this point in time.
It's easy to see why this match is considered one of the very best of the early days of NXT, not to mention CAGEMATCH's top rated Neville/PAC singles match. It's an exceptional match between two of the very best at the peak of their careers. Zayn has never been better than the enduring babyface hero of NXT, and Neville is at his very best when he's a shitbag heel, even if he plays it pretty straight in this match, despite the crowd reaction. They pull out some wild counters, like Zayn catching Neville on his shoulders and effortlessly spinning him around into a Blue Thunder Bomb for a close two count, proving that they are not only on similar footing, but also very familiar with one another.
I can't help but feel that this match could have been given my full 5 star treatment, as I'm a sucker for classic NXT, and these two really laid the blueprint for what future NXT main events would look like, but the ref bump following the amazing back-and-forth action took me out of the match. I've gotta be honest, I am so, so sick of ref bump's/ I understand they have a place in wrestling, especially in a match like this where the heel wants to ensure victory no matter what, but this match felt too "friends testing the limits of their friendship" to warrant the referee getting knocked around (not just once, but twice!) to give Zayn the moment of "will he, won't he" when presented with the chance to clobber Neville with the title. Maybe it's also a bit too much of WWE's brand of drama they loved doing in NXT, with dramatic gesturing and wide-mouthed dialogue that allowed for deeper, movie-level storytelling to be portrayed to those in the nosebleeds that takes me out of the in-ring action, I'm not too sure.
Regardless, Sami's moment of hesitation nearly costs him the match, but he's able to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and land a Helluva kick on Neville to win the gold.
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| Doing what must be done. WWE |
Match Time: 23:18
An exceptional main event match between two of NXT's very best. Neville was in peak form here and so was Zayn, the coronation of one of NXT's biggest success stories happening off the back of Neville's exceptional reign. It's been a long time since NXT, or WWE for that matter, felt as good as a match like this felt. Even watching this over 12 years later, I'm able to take myself back to the time where I could get lost in these matches, the magic of Full Sail and the feeling of being a part of something special like the early years of NXT were. God, I miss those days. Neville really was a cornerstone of early NXT and helped to bring Zayn to a higher level with this match, elevating someone that needed no help to look as good as he did, but that's just what Neville was able to do, being as good as he is.
• • • • •
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| The pre-match precedings. Dragon Gate |
Bell To Bell
Following Neville's release from WWE, he returned to Dragon Gate as PAC and tore through the competition once again. Winning the Open The Dream Gate Championship not long after returning, PAC returned to form in Dragon Gate as a bastard heel. A part of his character that I never knew about until his passing and doing research for this piece, was that PAC refused to respect the national anthem during the pre-match ceremony. There's a clip I found on BlueSky of this, where he jumps his opponent during "God Save the Queen" which leads to his opponent tonight, Kzy, to be super paranoid, looking to the side and visibly uneasy during the playing of the anthem. PAC gestures to reassure the people that he will be respectful during the anthem, which he is, and the match is able to start without any shenanigans.
I had decent expectations going into this match, with this being PAC's highest rated Dragon Gate match, and my first time ever seeing Dragon Gate, but they were fucking blown out of the water here. Every bit of seasoning PAC has gained over the years makes this match as exceptional as it is. He's in his absolute bastard best form here, able to match and best Kzy in the early technical moments while also having a power and speed/aerial advantage against him. Not to discredit Kzy, who I've never seen before, but he was able to stand toe-to-toe with PAC here and look more than credible as a threat. The small problem is, PAC is PAC, and he's at his very best here.
Smashing Kzy face first into the apron multiple times, PAC looks to be effortlessly in control in the early moments, crushing his foes head with a brainbuster on the floor and leaving him for dead. Kzy does get back inside the ring, but it may have been a mistake on his part, as PAC continues to wear him down with hicks and a brutal turnbuckle whip. His time as the cruel King of the Cruiserweights feels like it never ended in this match, his heelish tendencies bleeding over into Dragon Gate as he encourages his foe to do something, anything to match him. Kzy is defiant and refuses to stay down, meeting his forearm smashes with ones of his own, with one sending PAC to the floor to escape, allowing Kzy to follow and drill the champion back first into the apron off of a firemans carry.
If this portion of the match could be considered second gear, third gear feels more akin to fourth or fifth gear, the action quickly climbing to something blisteringly insane. A corkscrew moonsault from PAC looked effortless as he crushes Kzy on the floor, with a backslide slam transitioning into the gnarliest powerbomb I've seen in a long time. This is the point where the match shifted beyond second into a realm of its own, with Kzy doing everything he can to avoid PAC's attempts to land his signature Black Arrow. Often high flying wrestlers that transition from being a babyface to a heel will avoid doing high flying moves as it creates a positive "wow!" reaction that they are actively trying to avoid, similar to how many heels avoid selling merch. "Why would you buy my shirt? You hate me, don't you?" But I think it speaks to the quality of PAC's bastard-ness that he was able to be such a dastardly, grimy prick while also doing some of the most insane highspots you'd seen on the entire card.
PAC takes every opportunity he can to climb to the top and attempt his Black Arrow, with Kzy either avoiding or meeting PAC at the top, with one such instance allowing for Kzy to land a disgusting brainbuster off the top. PAC's selling is also top notch here, not afraid to get folded in half and twisted inside-out off of some of Kzy's best moves. A shooting star press off the top crushes a half-standing Kzy, with a running lariat folding him into a book, with PAC holding him down in an attempt to win, but Kzy somehow survives. He tries the Black Arrow again, but Kzy avoids! He crumples PAC with a barrage of forearms and uppercuts, nearly scoring the win off a top rope splash.
Sniping Kzy off the top with a kick, PAC pulls his foe up for a horrific tombstone off the top rope before ascending for the Black Arrow, crushing Kzy for the final three count.
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| Check his pulse. Dragon Gate |
Match Time: 25:17
I'll go on record with saying that this may very well be PAC's best match. I haven't watched his Okada/Ospreay encounters in AEW in some time, so maybe I'll say this; this is PAC's best non-AEW match, far and away. Simultaneously able to be a prick heel while also giving Kzy more than enough offence to make him a credible threat, PAC threaded the needle here in an exceptional title defence, The blueprint for the bastard that would run rampant through AEW was drawn up here, taking everything he learned and achieved in WWE and his indie run previously and building the most complete wrestler on the planet at this point in time. This is the PAC that Ricochet and Ospreay were chasing. This is the guy we talk about when we say "PAC was one of the best of this generation." Matches like this are the reason we say this.
• • • • •
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| The bastard berates. AEW |
Bell To Bell
Something I didn't realize when I had this match pencilled in for this week's review, was that this was Orange Cassidy's debut singles match in AEW. He'd wrestled 5 previous times in AEW in either trios matches (before there was a trios title to fight for) or Battle Royal's, so this was the first time people would get a proper good look at OC. In the pre-match video package, Chuck Taylor claims that Orange Cassidy is "going to try." To many, this gimmick was misunderstood and seen as purely a comedy "lazy wrestler" gimmick, but there's a lot more going on under the surface of Cassidy than one may realize upon first glance. He's a prime example of "don't judge a book by its cover" and this match, in a lot of ways, established the Orange Cassidy character we would grow to know and love in AEW, with PAC playing a large part in that.
Denying Cassidy's pocket routine right from the opening bell, PAC is caught off guard when OC flips him around with an arm wringer, not expecting his foe to move so quickly. The living embodiment of sloth knows when best to pick his moments, almost lying in wait and allowing his foe to walk into him, rather than chase them down. PAC tries to take OC down with rope rebounding lariats, but Cassidy ducks and flips over PAC with ease, his hands never leaving his pockets. A dropkick and kip up catches PAC early, but the bastard escapes a pinning predicament by rolling to the floor to collect himself. He shuts down Cassidy's attempt to dive with a backbreaker before sending him to the floor and assaulting him ringside.
Crashing him into the barricade before sending him head first into the ring post, Cassidy looks to be completely out already, barely able to stand as he gets tossed back into the ring. PAC could surely end this match soon, but seems to want to toy with his food here, crushing Cassidy with a bodyslam and a massive shotgun dropkick off the top rope. It almost feels like a prolonged squash match at this point, with Cassidy's offence dried up and it looking like he won't be able to mount a comeback anytime this month. A brainbuster off the top could have ended it, but PAC pulled Cassidy off the canvas to keep the offence going, pulling him to the corner to land his Black Arrow to end things once and for all.
When he makes it to the top, Cassidy finds his pulse and rolls across the ring to the floor, with PAC following him to toss him back inside. Again PAC ascends, and again, Cassidy rolls, reaching the opposite side of the ring and falling to the floor again. Again, PAC tosses him in, but Cassidy doesn't wait this time, he continues his momentum and rolls clear across the ring, the bastard marching around ringside to meet Cassidy before he can fall to the floor. In a rare moment of character-breaking brilliance, the camera catches Cassidy laughing, meeting the grimace of the pissed off bastard before turning to roll the opposite way. The crowd is on their feet, loving what they see.
It's at this exact moment where the match changes, because it's at this exact moment that PAC doubts Cassidy. The moment you doubt Cassidy is the moment he has you right where he wants you, you've unknowingly walked into the spot other wrestlers run to. You've done the hard work for Cassidy, all he had to do was survive.
Kipping up as PAC mocks the crowd's applause, he continues around ringside as Cassidy hits the ropes, flying to the outside and crushing PAC against the barricade. With unreal speed, Cassidy tosses PAC inside the ring and ascends to the top rope, flying with a crossbody before rebounding off the ropes with a tilt-a-whirl DDT. Everything leading up to this moment is what made Cassidy's character click, his deceptive sloth-like appearance, his mocking phantom kicks, his dead-man selling, it pulls you deeper and deeper into his grasp until you are so deep, you didn't realize you were drowning. All of this is due to PAC's brutal assault on Cassidy in the beginning of the match.
PAC comes back swinging, fending off Cassidy as best he can, with the Best Friends causing a distraction that nearly grants Cassidy the win. The Lucha Brothers come down to help, with PAC able to twist Cassidy into the Brutalizer and render him unconscious for the win.
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| The bastard brutalizes. AEW |
Match Time: 13:02
Maybe not either man's best match, it served as a star making performance for Orange Cassidy and one of PAC's best "squash" matches ever. He dog walked Cassidy for a good portion of this match, but was still willing and able to get trounced by OC when the time called for it. An argument can be made that, without this performance, Cassidy's character may not have gotten over quite as well as it did in AEW. I think Cassidy was always destined to be one of AEW's biggest stars, but PAC's ruthlessness here along with his willingness to give Cassidy's character instant credibility helped elevate him past "just a comedy wrestler" into someone that could be seen as a legitimate contender.
• • • • •
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| The calm before the end. AEW |
Bell To Bell
I've gotta be honest, it's weird watching this match now. A match that could have easily gotten lost in the shuffle of PAC/Andrade/National Title matches in 2026 now exists as a bizarre time capsule for a time we will never get back, a time where PAC is still with us. I've heard some people say that they've watched this match and tried to "look for signs," to see if PAC was a step slow or if some routine spot may have caused an injury that triggered something fatal a day later. I've also heard Andrade say that people have asked him "did you notice anything off about PAC in your match?" which has got to be one of the most haunting thoughts possible. Let alone the fact that he was his final opponent, I hope Andrade has people in his life to support him and reassure him that his passing had nothing to do with any action he did in this match. I know it would weigh heavy on my conscience if I were in his position.
As far as matches go, this match you get exactly what you’d expect, but not in a bad way at all. I've spent the last 30 paragraphs saying nothing about praise for PAC, a man that could easily be considered one of the best on the planet, but he got lost in the shuffle and made into a background player more often than not. Andrade, as well, can pull 4 and 5 star matches out of his foes in his sleep, so it should come as no surprise that this match was excellent. There are early attempts at their finishes, with both men having an answer for the DM and the Brutalizer. PAC tries to get the jump on Andrade after a handshake, but the National champion gets the better of the exchange.
There is some interference from Marina when Andrade lands outside, which I can't help but feel was unnecessary but it did little to take away from what was otherwise a fantastic match. I do fear that if it persisted, it would have dragged this one down, but it walked the fine line of being "acceptable heel interference." Marina does get her comeuppance, getting sent into the crowd, so it all comes out even at the end of the day. Andrade goes for his corner meteora, but PAC is able to fire up to his feet like a bullet and crush him in the corner with a belly to belly suplex, spiking the champ with a cutter from the apron to the ring for a close two count.
PAC cuts off Andrade's pants removal, which I can't help but feel would benefit from the old tearaway pants Cesaro/Claudio used to rock around 2015, but at least he had zippers around the ankles to make it a bit quicker. I still find it entertaining that people chant "take your pants off!" unironically, it gets me every time. When Andrade goes to the crowd to snap a selfie with a babe, Marina chokes her out and gives PAC time to climb to the top rope and land a moonsault on the outside. His attempt at a Black Arrow is thwarted, but PAC is able to take Andrade off the top rope with a big 'ol hurricanrana, but Andrade comes back with his spinning elbow, now named "dios de los muertos." PAC escapes to the floor to keep the match going.
PAC ascends to the corner and takes off for the Black Arrow, missing (for those curious, PAC's last successful Black Arrow was against Ace Austin on the 09/23/2026 episode of Collision) as Andrade rolls out of the way and tries for the DM, with Marina getting his attention on the apron. She seems to agree to plant one on Andrade's cheek, but PAC sneaks up behind him and drills him with a poison rana. His rebound lariat catches Andrade clean and he locks the Brutalizer in, but Andrade shifts his weight and holds PAC down for the three!
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| Crushed and brutalized. AEW |
Match Time: 18:43
Again, this match was inoffensive and great by all metrics, it's just odd to watch knowing what happens a mere 24 hours later. I guess that's just how unintentional "final" matches work. They're great, but there's that dark cloud looming over the whole thing, "this is it for them. Enjoy this while it lasts." You'd be hard pressed to find a better opponent than Andrade if you want to have a great outing on a PPV, with PAC not feeling out of place at all fighting for the National title. I'm really struggling to write a final sentence here, as this is how I'm wrapping up PAC's career. It still doesn't feel real, rewatching this match, I can't believe this was less than a week ago (at the time of writing), it feels like an age ago. For a final chapter to someone's career, this was a pretty good way to go out, all things considered. I just hate that it had to end this way.
• • • • •
AEW Dynamite - A Tribute to PAC
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| AEW |
Christ, this was a tough episode of Dynamite to watch. I knew it would be, but nothing prepared me for what came next.
I won't go through each moment here in excruciating detail, as I feel I'll truly fail to convey the level of emotion that was on display from everyone involved. I encourage everyone to seek out this weeks episode of Dynamite yourself and watch it in it's entirety. Do it in bursts, watch it in a few sittings, or power through it like I did live. Regardless, my write up will only be able to convey a small amount of what this episode of Dynamite truly meant to the world of wrestling at large.
Tony Schiavone followed Excalibur's heartfelt tribute to PAC with a simple message; be like Ben. Be a bastard in the ring, but be a genuinely kind person when the lights dim and the cameras are off. We then see a Jon Moxley promo that was filmed following his loss at All Out, with the Death Riders accompanying him. It's easily a top 5 promo from Moxley, with some of the verbiage used being utterly chilling, knowing that this was filmed the same day that PAC would tragically pass. I will not transcribe it in it's entirety, but I will leave it here if you'd like to watch.
This Jon Moxley promo was after AEW All Out. MAN #AEWDynamite
— Fightful Wrestling (@fightful.com) September 30, 2026 at 8:17 PM
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A ten bell salute follows, and we lead into our opening match. The first man out to the ring? Jon fucking Moxley. If there was ever any questions or doubts as to who the ace of AEW was, those should be immediately quelled with this performance. To be the first man in the ring following an emotional start to the show, given his closeness to PAC, takes incredible courage and strength. Moxley's entire MO in AEW, and especially with the Death Riders, has been "lead by example." It's easy to forget that the Death Riders entire purpose when they first formed in AEW, with PAC being in the earliest incarnation, was to be a force of change in the company. Make everyone else step up to challenge them. High tide floats all ships, and Moxley's crew was the tsunami that was going to either wipe the slate clean, or bring everyone else up with him. It's safe to say that opening the PAC tribute show proves that he is in a "bring everyone else up with him" position now.
A fantastic match with Orange Cassidy followed, with multiple callbacks to OC's Revolution 2020 match with PAC, as well as Moxley digging into PAC's bag of tricks to try and pick up the win. Of course, Cassidy did his typical sloth routine, but it's so incredibly fitting given the rivalry and history these two men have had. In the end, a Moxley victory was secured after landing a Death Rider.
When suddenly, the music changed.
Bryan fucking Danielson is here.
After 2 years of hatred, with Danielson being the sacrificial lamb that the Death Riders formed out of. Spending every possible moment on commentary talking about his utter disdain for Jon Moxley, Danielson climbs through the ropes, stares his old rival in the face, his eyes welling up with tears, and hugs him. The hatchet buried. All I could think during this moment was "life is too short to continue hating you." It was a beautiful moment.
A tearful Hangman Adam Page sits in the locker room with a glowing tribute to PAC, with Cash Wheeler, Jay White, Ricochet, Will Ospreay, Swerve Strickland and Darby Allin all having a chance to say a few words about PAC throughout the show. These are deeply emotional and touching pieces, with Ospreay talking about how he chased PAC his entire career, and Darby mentioning that PAC was the one who came up with the idea of them wrestling on the golf course at the Fairway to Hell special edition of Dynamite from earlier in the year. Outside of these few tributes, AEW filmed more that did not get shown on the Dynamite broadcast. 48 minutes worth of tributes, to be exact. You can find a link to the tributes here, on AEW's YouTube channel.
The Elite are in full force tonight, with Hangman joining Kenny Omega and the new AEW Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks for a match against Kevin Knight, Kyle Fletcher, Rocky Romero and Trent Beretta of the Don Callis Family. A high-energy tag team match, as to be expected, with the crowd coming alive when the former champions Page and Omega hit the Buckshot V Trigger before picking up the win.
Following that match, Renee Paquette is ringside with a statement from the Satterly family. Again, I will leave the video clip here if you'd like to see it in it's entirety.
A statement from the Satterley family Renee Paquette did a GREAT job reading this.
— Fightful Wrestling (@fightful.com) September 30, 2026 at 9:12 PM
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Swerve Srtrickland and The New Level make their way to the ring, presenting their Trios Championships before the PAC memorial inside the ring, with Austin Creed barely able to keep himself together as he lays a towel down across the titles. In a way, PAC made those Trios titles. Far and away the most questionably booked titles in AEW, they always struggled to mean something, but PAC helped to elevate them as part of both the Death Triangle and the Death Riders, joining The Elite in being the only man to hold those titles twice.
Shockingly, the match I thought would main event this show is up next, with Ospreay facing Ricochet in a non-title match. Rivalries are put aside in this match, with Ospreay hugging Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona of The Demand, only to meet Ricochet in the middle of the ring before the bell sounds to share a moment between the two. What follows is one of the best matches of the year, and a match that could be best described as "The Best of PAC." I'd list the moves and moments that these two did in tribute to PAC, but Raion74_ on X else has already done that job for me. Kudos.
I tried to catch as many PAC tribute spots as possible. Over a minute of footage. Incredible work by Ricochet and Will Ospreay. https://t.co/Z7qGxxQEwp pic.twitter.com/ksvCXojZgu
— Raion (@Raion74_) October 1, 2026
When Ospreay landed the Black Arrow for the finish, the crowd exploded. Ospreay claimed he was going to stop doing shooting star presses and aerial-type moves after his neck surgery out of fear of causing permanent damage, but tonight, he did it for PAC. For Ben. Ospreay also claimed to have been in the ring since 2 in the afternoon practicing for this match, wanting it to be perfect. It's a breathtaking moment with Bryce Remsburg visibly distraught after counting three. Holy lord, this got me.
Will Ospreay hits the Black Arrow! #AEWDynamite
— Fightful Wrestling (@fightful.com) September 30, 2026 at 9:35 PM
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The women's trios match was up next, with the impossible and unenviable task of following such a brilliant match. They did well, with Marina Shafir being the absolute MVP of this match. Far and away, the best match of her career. I mean seriously, she was so amped up on emotion and adrenaline, she audibly says "where am I going?" during her entrance. That popped me. She came to the ring in a Newcastle football kit with her son's name "Troy" on the back, gifted to her by PAC. Another small detail I didn't notice until later on was that her eye makeup featured black arrows. Reversing Britt Baker's lockjaw into a hip toss and PAC's Brutalizer for the finish was perfect. The exact right call.
The main event was a 10-man tag, pitting the Death Riders against the Don Callis Family. I was doing the math in my head after they announced the match, trying to figure out who would be on the DR's side of the ring. Claudio, Yuta, Garcia and Kidd make 4, so would they leave a spot open for PAC? DCF sees the return of Wardlow, to a complete shock, with the biggest shock of the night coming when the Death Riders opening horn plays, only for Bryan fucking Danielson to come out?!
BRYAN DANIELSON IS A DEATH RIDER TONIGHT!
— Fightful Wrestling (@fightful.com) September 30, 2026 at 10:11 PM
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What?! Not only did Danielson and Moxley hug it out, but they put aside their differences enough for Danielson to join the Death Riders for this match?! Insanity. Their performance in this match has me believing firmly that the Death Riders will never, ever be booked as heels again. With Yuta and Danielson tagging together and Garcia doing his dance to a massive pop. Getting the win in this main event match was all but elementary.
The tribute after the main event was beautiful and heartbreaking, but a fitting end to the night.
Until we meet again. #ThankYouPAC #AEWDynamite
— TDE Wrestling (@tdewrestling.com) September 30, 2026 at 10:31 PM
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After the cameras finished rolling, Moxley got in the ring with one final promo, giving us sage words to live by. "Whatever it is you do, do it with purpose and gratitude and give a shit."
• • • • •
Until next week. Be well, stay safe, and love one another. Tell your loved ones you love them today and hug them a little tighter.
And remember, throw your heart out in front of you and run ahead to catch it.
cliffmorganwstl@gmail.com
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