Nick Jackson has shared an emotional tribute to PAC (Benjamin Satterley) ahead of tonight’s special edition of AEW Dynamite honoring the late wrestler.
The Young Bucks member took to Instagram on Wednesday to reflect on his nearly two-decade friendship with PAC, dating back to their early encounters in PWG and later their time together in Japan.
Jackson recalled PAC helping both he and his brother Matt adjust to life overseas, while also pointing them toward some of the best places to eat — including, apparently, the nearest McDonald’s.
“There will never be another Pac. He inspired generations of wrestlers, and the impact he’s had on the wrestling business will be seen for decades to come.
“I’ll never forget the matches I witnessed firsthand in Japan for Dragon Gate. They absolutely blew me away, and I always wished I could become just as good of a wrestler as him. We first met 20 years ago for PWG. Soon after, he mentored us over in Japan and showed us how things worked there. He would show us where the best food spots were—and, of course, where the local McDonald’s was (lol).”
The two sides eventually lost touch while PAC was with WWE, but Jackson said they reconnected shortly before AEW launched. He and Matt immediately felt PAC was someone they needed on the company’s roster, both because of his ability inside the ring and the person he was outside of it.
“We lost touch for a few years while he was wrestling in WWE, but we reconnected right before the start of AEW. Matt and I knew we had to have him on the roster because of how incredibly talented he was in the ring, and how good of a human being he was outside of it.”
Jackson also looked back at the memorable best-of-seven series involving The Elite and Death Triangle, which concluded with a ladder match in Los Angeles in January 2023. He revealed that the six wrestlers shared an emotional moment afterward and credited PAC with helping restore his confidence during a difficult period personally.
“We had many classic matches with him, but the best-of-seven series that ended in a ladder match in LA will always be etched in my memory. Matt, Kenny, and I, along with the Lucha Bros and Pac, all shared tears that night. We were just so happy and had so much fun—even though I accidentally broke Pac’s nose in the very first match a month or so prior! He never held it against me. Haha.
“At that time, my confidence was at an all-time low, and he helped me get it back. I’ll never forget that.”
Jackson’s final time sharing the ring with PAC came last month in Mexico. He recalled everyone involved coming away from the match on a high and talking about how they could have wrestled each other every night.
“We just wrestled him last month in Mexico. After the match, we all reflected on the crazy experience and agreed we could do that match every single day of the week. We were on such a high from how hot that crowd was. Little did I know that would be the last time I’d ever share a ring with him.”
Jackson then addressed what he described as one of the most difficult aspects of PAC’s passing. With The Young Bucks preparing for their three-way ladder match at AEW All Out this past Saturday, Jackson was so focused on his own match that he never got an opportunity to speak with PAC at the show.
“What breaks my heart even more is that I was so preoccupied with my ladder match this Saturday that I didn’t even get to say hello to him, and that’s something I’m going to have to live with forever.
“This has taught me to try and live each and every day as if it’s my last, with no regrets. It’s a reminder to make sure you tell the people you love just how much you love them.
“I love you, Ben.”
The AEW roster is in Pittsburgh tonight for a special PAC tribute edition of Dynamite. Will Ospreay vs. Ricochet has been announced as the main event, with Jackson noting separately that seeing the match graphic brought him to tears. He felt there could not be a more appropriate match to honor PAC given the similar paths all three men took through the wrestling business.
PAC passed away at the age of 40 on September 27, less than 24 hours after competing against Andrade El Idolo at the AEW All Out 2026 pay-per-view in Chicago, Illinois. He was found unresponsive in a vehicle outside a restaurant near Chicago O’Hare International Airport and was pronounced dead shortly afterward. Authorities have said there were no signs of foul play or trauma, while an official cause and manner of death remain pending additional testing.
Make sure to join us here at WrestlingHeadlines.com tonight at 8/7c for live AEW Dynamite Results coverage from Pittsburgh, PA.
