My brother and I used to stay up for NXT just to see what Neville would do off the top rope, we had this ratty couch in Milwaukee and we'd rewind the same moonsault like five times. Forty years old. That doesn't feel real.
Their story
Benjamin Satterley was born in Newcastle upon Tyne on 22 August 1986, the son of Jill and Stephen Satterley. As a child he was relentlessly active, playing basketball, football, hockey, roller hockey and swimming. Wrestling entered his life through an aunt who followed the WWF. His parents would not let…
Benjamin Satterley was born in Newcastle upon Tyne on 22 August 1986, the son of Jill and Stephen Satterley. As a child he was relentlessly active, playing basketball, football, hockey, roller hockey and swimming. Wrestling entered his life through an aunt who followed the WWF. His parents would not let him watch wrestling at home, so he went to his aunt's house, where favourites such as The Undertaker and "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan lit a lifelong spark.
He began backyard and local shows as a teenager, then trained seriously from about 18 at St Joseph's Hall in Gateshead under Mark Sloan. Wrestling as Pac, he debuted for Independent Wrestling Federation on 27 March 2004. Over the next years he became a standout on the British independent circuit for IWF, 3 Count Wrestling, One Pro Wrestling, IPW:UK and others, winning early gold including the 1PW Openweight Championship and work across Europe as Jungle Pac for Nu-Wrestling Evolution.
Overseas bookings followed. In Pro Wrestling Guerrilla he formed a celebrated partnership with Roderick Strong, winning the inaugural Dynamite Duumvirate Tag Team Title Tournament and the PWG World Tag Team Championship in 2007. Matches with El Generico and others cemented a reputation for athletic, high risk offence. In Dragon Gate and Dragon Gate USA he captured the Open the Brave Gate, Twin Gate, Triangle Gate and United Gate titles, and later, after leaving WWE, the Open the Dream Gate Championship. Ring of Honor, Chikara and a 2012 New Japan Best of the Super Juniors run (reaching the semifinals) rounded out a global independent resume.
WWE signed him in 2012. As Adrian Neville in NXT he became one half of the inaugural NXT Tag Team Champions with Oliver Grey, won the tag titles again with Corey Graves, then captured the NXT Championship from Bo Dallas in a ladder match at NXT Arrival and held it for 287 days. On the main roster as Neville he won the 2015 Slammy Award for Breakout Star of the Year and, after a heel turn into the cruiserweight division, became a record two-time and longest-reigning WWE Cruiserweight Champion. His corkscrew shooting star press, the Red Arrow, and the Rings of Saturn submission defined that era. Contract friction after a 2017 walkout led to his release in 2018.
He returned to Dragon Gate as Pac, joined the villainous R.E.D. stable, renamed his finisher the Black Arrow, and carried the Dream Gate title into 2019 under the moniker "The Bastard." In January 2019 he was among All Elite Wrestling's first announced signees. In AEW he defeated Kenny Omega at All Out 2019, feuded with Hangman Page and Orange Cassidy, and formed Death Triangle with Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fenix. He became the inaugural AEW All-Atlantic Champion (later International Championship) and a two-time AEW World Trios Champion, once holding both at once as AEW's first double champion. Later he joined the Blackpool Combat Club as it rebranded to the Death Riders with Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta, winning further trios gold.
Colleagues and fans repeatedly cited him among the most gifted high flyers of his generation, nicknamed "The Man That Gravity Forgot" and later "The Bastard." He was a lifelong Newcastle United supporter and chose the Neville ring name partly as a nod to Specials vocalist Neville Staple. Close friends in the business included Bryan Danielson, Kenta, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Shingo Takagi and Zack Sabre Jr. He married Natalie in June 2015.
On 26 September 2026 he wrestled Andrade El Idolo for the AEW National Championship at All Out in Chicago. The next day, 27 September 2026, All Elite Wrestling announced that Benjamin Satterley had died at the age of 40. The company offered condolences to his family, friends and fans and gave no further details. Major news outlets reported that the circumstances had not been made public. Tributes followed from across wrestling for a performer whose aerial creativity reshaped what fans thought possible in the ring.
Biography adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0) and cited sources; death reported by All Elite Wrestling, Fox News/OutKick, Yahoo Sports, Fightful, Nine.com.au. Wikipedia ↗
In their own words
“All Elite Wrestling is saddened to announce the passing of Benjamin Satterley, aka Pac.”
Official AEW announcement of his death, September 2026
“Our condolences go out to Satterley's family, friends and fans.”
AEW public statement on his death
“A native of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, Satterley began his wrestling career in 2004 and went on to perform for wrestling organizations all over the world, captivating fans with innovative high-flying moves and incredible in-ring ability.”
AEW obituary statement
“What a great ride that was. Thank you Eddie.”
Pac (@BASTARDPAC) on X, 31 July 2026
“Heartbroken. In utter disbelief. One of my biggest inspirations in this business.”
KJ Orso tribute reported after the death announcement
“Everyone that knew Ben would tell you what an incredible human he was. Truly one of the best.”
Saraya (Paige) tribute reported after the death announcement
“One of the kindest, most welcoming people in the locker room.”
Danhausen tribute reported after the death announcement
“Rest in power Ben.”
Saraya tribute reported after the death announcement

same, the corkscrew shooting star still lives rent free in my head