AEW has had to endure plenty of emotional pain lately. It began in May, when Rebel, Britt Baker’s friend and former onscreen partner, revealed that she had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The promotion would host a special episode of Dynamite in her memory earlier this month.
Unfortunately, even that came with an even heavier tinge of tragedy, as four days earlier, former tag team wrestler Andy “The Butcher” Williams had died after an indy match. Tributes would pour in for both figures from the wrestling community, but they would not be prepared for what came next.
On Sunday, just a day after All Out, PAC, a member of the Death Riders, passed away. According to the New York Post, he had been found unconscious inside a vehicle at the parking lot of a CAVA in Des Plaines, Illinois at around 4 p.m. ET. It was a devastating blow to the promotion, which had also witnessed Sing’s son Steve Borden nearly become paralyzed during a tag match on Saturday.
AEW president Tony Khan has already announced that the upcoming episode of Dynamite will be a tribute to PAC. For it to be one that sticks in the memory, however, here are a couple of suggestions as to what will happen.
For much of its existence, the Death Riders have been heels. This is best exemplified by Jon Moxley’s last run as AEW World Champion, which began with a betrayal of Bryan Danielson and was marked my excessive interference.
It finally ended at the hands of Adam Page at last year’s All In, to the delight of a raucous crowd. Since then, Moxley feuded with Kyle O’Reilly before claiming the Continental Championship at the conclusion of the Continental Classic. It was during that run that he and the Death Riders turned tweener, leaning towards face and heel depending on the opponent.
Now, however, in the face of a great tragedy, Moxley and company need to permanently (re)enter the good side. Pit them against some heels, like, say, The Demand. It is not unlike what was done with the Dark Order in 2021, shortly after losing their leader Brodie Lee.
AEW has had plenty of tournaments throughout its history. There is the aforementioned Owen Hart Memorial and the Continental Classic, both of which have seen victories from the likes of Danielson and Moxley.
Wednesday could see the announcement of a new tournament in PAC’s memory. Here is a pitch for it.
With the Contunental Classic up next, the new tournament ideally should start in January. Anywhere between 16 and 32 wrestlers will compete, representing AEW and its partner promotions – Ring of Honor (ROH), New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), and Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL). The winner receives both a memorial belt and a shot at the International Championship – whose inaugural holder was PAC.
It is a way to solidify the memory of an AEW OG – one of the inaugural members of its roster. Maybe the inaugural winner could be PAC’s stablemate Wheeler Yuta in what will represent his first singles title with the promotion.
The year 2026 has seen its fair share of wrestlers pass away. PAC’s, however, is the most tragic of them.
After all, “The Bastard” was seemingly in his competitive and creative prime, as most male wrestlers do not hit their peak until their mid-30s. He may not have been world title-caliber, but he was someone who could hold down the midcard. While his promo and character work could be somewhat lacking, he still had a great understanding of his role: a stone-faced ruffian who struck when the moment was right.
Rest in peace, PAC. The world will never forget you and your accolades.
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