Following the sudden passing of AEW star PAC at age 40 on September 27, 2026, fellow wrestler Cody Rhodes revealed that WWE star Kevin Owens set up a backstage camera during the October 2 episode of SmackDown. This setup allowed talents across promotions to record personal tributes and share their grief outside standard broadcast formats.
Memorial Tributes Drive Pro Wrestling Merchandise Markets
- Merchandise & Memorial Valuations: Commemorative tributes, such as Kevin Owens wearing an armband bearing the late star’s name during a match, drive significant collector and fan engagement across pro wrestling merchandise markets.
Backstage at SmackDown and the Origin of the Camera Setup
The professional wrestling world faced profound shock following the unexpected passing of Benjamin Satterley, universally known as PAC, just after AEW All Out 2026. As tributes poured in from across the industry, WWE released a nearly 39-minute YouTube video titled WWE Superstars remember Benjamin Satterley,
featuring reflections from a broad roster of talent including Becky Lynch, Bayley, Sami Zayn, Penta, Rey Fenix, William Regal, Finn Bálor, and Corey Graves, as wrestlingnoticias.com reported.
Behind the scenes, the initiative to capture these raw reactions belonged to Kevin Owens. According to wrestlinginc.com, Cody Rhodes disclosed during an interview with WrestleTalk that Owens took the decisive step to ensure colleagues had a private outlet to process their loss. Rhodes noted that Owens positioned a camera backstage at the SmackDown taping for wrestlers to speak about Ben if they chose to do so, with the footage intended to be shared directly with the family.
| Milestone / Championship | Date | Opponent / Event |
|---|---|---|
| NXT Championship Win | February 27, 2014 | Defeated Bo Dallas (NXT Arrival) |
| WWE Cruiserweight Championship Win | January 29, 2017 | Won initial title reign |
| Final AEW Match | September 2026 | AEW All Out 2026 |
Reflections on a Shared History in the Ring
Rhodes, who shared milestone moments with Satterley across multiple promotions, opened up about how the gesture prompted a deep re-examination of their relationship. Citing their shared past, Rhodes pointed to high-profile matches ranging from SummerSlam at the Barclays Center and their ‘Arrow’ crossover match to their days battling through live event loops when locked into intense programs as Stardust and Neville.
Sportskeeda noted that Rhodes also reminisced about traveling alongside PAC and the late Brodie Lee, recalling discussions over regional exports between Newcastle and Rochester, New York. Rhodes emphasized that he never met another competitor of his generation who possessed such absolute self-awareness of his identity as both a person and an on-screen character, admitting that clarity was intimidating while he tried to define his own career path.
Legacy Across Promotions and Future Programming
PAC’s career spanned iconic reigns, including his NXT Championship victory over Bo Dallas and multiple Cruiserweight Championship runs in WWE before his run as one of the OGs of All Elite Wrestling. While AEW dedicated the September 30 episode of Dynamite entirely to his memory, the cross-brand solidarity initiated by talents like Kevin Owens shows the immense void left by the Bastard.
As the Death Riders carry forward his stable legacy inside AEW rings, the emotional resonance of the backstage tributes captured on SmackDown ensures that Satterley’s profound influence on his peers remains permanently etched into the history of modern professional wrestling.
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