Wrestler Andrade el Ídolo has shared an extensive tribute detailing how he learned of the death of British star PAC, shedding light on what would become their final match together at AEW All Out.
How the News Reached Miami
Andrade recounted that he was just arriving home in Miami after deciding to take a brief break from social media when his phone rang. The call came from fellow wrestler Penta, who asked if Andrade had heard any news or if anything unusual had transpired during their recent match.
“I told him: ‘I don’t believe what you’re telling me,’ and he replied: ‘I don’t believe it either,'” Andrade wrote in his Facebook statement. At first, both athletes assumed the reports were merely online rumors, hoping aloud that the news was false before messages and calls began pouring in from wrestlers across multiple promotions.
After reaching out directly to the All Elite Wrestling office, company officials confirmed the tragedy. “It was something I never imagined,” Andrade noted.
Reflecting on Their Final Match at All Out
Reflecting on the weekend, Andrade described PAC as being in high spirits following their bout for the AEW National Championship at All Out. The British competitor was reportedly happy and looking forward to returning to London soon to visit his family.
“He looked so good on Saturday, we finished the match and Ben was happy to go back to London soon to see his family,” Andrade shared. “Never imagined it would be his last match, we both knew we had more to give.”
Andrade praised PAC’s exceptional talent and relentless work ethic inside the squared circle, noting that the Briton constantly pushed him to elevate his performance. He recalled a lighthearted moment backstage when wrestler Bandido handed PAC a Santos Laguna jersey, prompting playful banter about how the club’s colors closely resembled those of Celtic FC.
A Career of Near Misses and Brief Encounters
The heartfelt tribute also highlighted a striking irony in their professional trajectories. Despite crossing paths across multiple major promotions over the years—including New Japan Pro-Wrestling, WWE NXT, and the WWE main roster—Andrade and PAC never squared off in those companies.
It was only after arriving in AEW that the two performers finally shared a singles match, meeting just three times in total before PAC’s passing. “We were in so many of the same companies at the same time but never faced each other… and we only got to wrestle three times in AEW!” Andrade wrote.
“My friend, you were incredible inside the ring and outside the ring you had a big heart. I’m going to miss you, friend. Wherever you are now, I send you a huge hug. I will never forget this match! Forever Pac. Rest in peace, Ben.”
