Professional wrestler Benjamin Satterley dies aged 40

Professional wrestler Benjamin Satterley, known in the industry as “PAC”, has died aged 40.

The Newcastle born wrestler mastered his craft in Europe and beyond on the independent wrestling circuit before spending five years with the WWE and his last seven with AEW. Satterley had not only been a champion everywhere he wrestled, but loved by fans and colleagues alike.

Following Satterley’s untimely demise, the California Post reported the following:

Members of the public alerted emergency services after seeing Satterley unconscious in a rental car. The vehicle was parked outside of a restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois.

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office declared Satterley dead at 16:08 (CST). The cause of death is still unknown, but foul play has been ruled out.

The Geordie was found roughly 20 miles away from the NOW Arena, where he wrestled his last match just two days ago, on Saturday night, as part of AEW’s All Out event.

Satterley embarked on his professional wrestling journey in his teenage years – a career that seemed impossible considering his upbringing in Newcastle, England.

Despite the odds being stacked against him, he performed in backyard wrestling promotions in the Northeast of England, such as TWXW in Gateshead, and FXW in Middlesborough.

As he entered adulthood he started formal training at St Joseph’s Hall in Gateshead, which he described as “pretty much the only wrestling school in the area.”

Satterley blossomed on the Indies. He quickly outgrew the British Independent Scene and sought experience across Europe and further. Brushing shoulders with the likes of AJ Styles, Kevin Owens (then Steen) and Sami Zayn (then El Generico).

AEW World Champion, and fellow Brit, Will Ospreay credits Satterley as being the man who bridged the professional wrestling gap between the UK and Japan.

His freakish athleticism, natural gravitas and dogged persistence caught the eye of the WWE. Satterley was signed to the NXT brand in July of 2012.

Under the new name “Adrian Neville”, he formed the tag team “British Ambition” with Oliver Grey, where the pair became the inaugural NXT Tag Team Champions.

It didn’t take long before Satterley was seen as a singles star. In February of 2014, he defeated Bo Dallas to be crowned NXT Champion.

He lost the Championship after 287 days to Sami Zayn at NXT R Evolution in a match that is critically acclaimed to this day.

That loss catapulted Satterley to WWE’s main roster. He instantly connected with fans, through his high-flying move set and babyface persona. The ultimate underdog, personified by his performances against John Cena in a US Title Open Challenge, and Seth Rollins for the WWE Championship.

After an internal disagreement, Satterley left the WWE in October of 2017.

Satterley emerged a year later, in 2018, as a free agent under his former name “PAC.”

A few months on the Indies lead to him being one of AEW’s first signings. Despite being scheduled for AEW’s first show, Double or Nothing, Satterley’s Visa issues prevented him from participating. That misfortune continued as the COVID 19 outbreak forced the Geordie to be absent from AEW television for eight months in 2020.

Despite a rocky start, AEW became the perfect home for Satterley.

In 2020 he became one third of “Death Triangle” alongside Mexican brothers Rey Fénix and Penta El Zero Miedo, where the group reigned as AEW Trios Champions on one occasion. During his time in “Death Triangle” he also had singles success, spending 107 days as All-Atlantic Champion.

In September of 2024, Satterley joined the Blackpool Combat Club, alongside Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta and Bryan Danielson managed by William Regal. The stable, later renamed the Death Riders, dominated AEW. Holding titles up and down the card.

In his last two years with AEW, Satterley feuded the Conglomeration, Ospreay and the United Empire, the Don Callis Family and anyone else who got in his way, as part of the Death Riders.

Satterley unsuccessfully challenged Andrade El Idolo for the AEW National Championship on Saturday in Chicago, at AEW All In. That would be Satterley’s last match.

Satterley’s untimely death has shattered the wrestling world. His passing has compounded the shock fans experienced after the death of AEW’s “Butcher”, Andy Williams, three weeks ago.

Tributes have poured in from Satterley’s colleagues, employers and his beloved Newcastle United.

AEW have announced that Wednesdays edition of AEW Dynamite will be dedicated to Benjamin Satterley.

Gravity may have forgotten about Benjamin Satterley, but he will forever be remembered and cherished by the professional wrestling community and beyond.