AEW Wrestler Benjamin Satterley, Known as Pac, Dies at 40 One Day After Chicago Pay-Per-View Match

Benjamin Satterley, the professional wrestler known to fans as Pac in All Elite Wrestling and as Adrian Neville during his six years in WWE, died Sunday night, September 27, 2026, at age 40. All Elite Wrestling announced his death on social media.

"All Elite Wrestling is saddened to announce the passing of Benjamin Satterley, aka Pac," the company said in its statement. "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 has not disclosed a cause of death. No source in this reporting cites an official determination from a coroner or medical examiner, and no law enforcement agency has announced an investigation.

The timing has stunned the wrestling world. Satterley wrestled the opening match of AEW's All Out pay-per-view Saturday night, September 26, at NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, outside Chicago, losing a roughly 20-minute title bout to Andrade El Idolo for the AEW National Championship, according to Bleacher Report and the Los Angeles Times. Yahoo Sports reported he also reappeared later in the show during the main event between Will Ospreay and Jon Moxley.

Hindustan Times reported that some fans speculated online that Satterley may have suffered a heart attack, given the sudden nature of his death. That is speculation from social media users, not a confirmed medical finding. Neither AEW nor Satterley's family has confirmed any cause, and Hindustan Times itself notes the cause "remains unknown." Readers should treat that speculation as unverified until an official cause is released.

AEW owner Tony Khan posted his own tribute on X, describing Satterley in personal terms beyond the ring. "Benjamin Satterley defined excellence, as a beloved husband and friend to his many loved ones, and in his wrestling knowledge, skill, unprecedented athleticism, professionalism, consistency and dedication to the sport that he loved and traveled the world to pursue," Khan wrote, according to the Los Angeles Times. "May Ben rest in peace." Hindustan Times reported Satterley is survived by his wife, Natalie Satterley.

A Career Built on Defying Gravity

Satterley broke into wrestling in 2004 at age 16 on the British independent circuit, according to Bleacher Report. He built a following in the U.S. with the Los Angeles-based Pro Wrestling Guerrilla promotion before signing with WWE in 2012, per the Los Angeles Times.

In WWE, he wrestled under the name Adrian Neville, later shortened to Neville, and became a foundational star of the company's NXT developmental brand. He won the NXT Championship, was a two-time NXT Tag Team Champion, and after moving to WWE's main roster in 2015, became a two-time WWE Cruiserweight Champion, according to NBC News and Fox News. His high-flying style earned him the nickname "The Man That Gravity Forgot."

The Los Angeles Times noted Satterley, listed at 5-foot-8 and 194 pounds, was "considered one of the best wrestlers in the world" but was "not given a push relative to his ability" during his main-roster WWE run. He left the company in 2018.

Satterley signed with the newly formed All Elite Wrestling in 2019 as one of its first major signees, adopting the ring name Pac. He defeated Kenny Omega at the promotion's inaugural All Out event that year, according to Sports Illustrated. He became the first-ever AEW All-Atlantic Champion, a title now known as the AEW International Championship, and won the AEW World Trios Championship twice. He had been a member of the Death Riders stable since 2024, after previously wrestling as part of Death Triangle.

AEW wrestler Sammy Guevara posted his own tribute following the announcement. "Absolutely heartbreaking," he wrote, according to Hindustan Times. "Sending so much love and prayers to his family and loved ones."

No outlet in this reporting has published an official cause of death, autopsy result, or statement from a medical examiner's office. Fox News reported that OutKick contacted the Chicago Police Department, Hoffman Estates Police Department, the Cook County Sheriff's Office and the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office for comment following Satterley's death, but no responses were detailed in that reporting. Whether any of those agencies opens a formal inquiry, and what an eventual medical examiner's finding shows, remains unresolved as of this writing.