Cody Rhodes has shared an emotional tribute to PAC after his passing, remembering not just one of wrestling’s greatest performers, but someone he believes made everyone around him better.
Speaking on WWE’s YouTube channel, Cody reflected on Ben Satterley’s passing and admitted it hit the wrestling world incredibly hard. Although he said they weren’t especially close friends, he explained that wrestling creates lifelong bonds through the moments performers share together, and PAC was part of several of the biggest milestones in his own career.
“I wanted to just speak to what a wonderful person that Ben was and will be remembered as. I feel like this came as a shock to, obviously, came as a shock to everybody, wrestling fans, our peers in all locker rooms, all across the world, and people he touched and who wanted to touch him.”
“One of the things I struggle with is you may not be very close, you may not be best of friends. Him and I, we weren’t extremely close, but if you look at your career and you see these milestone moments, and then you look over and there he is.”
“Whether that was trying to climb a ladder that was very difficult to climb, with him as Neville and me doing Stardust… that actually being able to culminate in this really, really exciting Barclays Center SummerSlam moment that did change my career and gave me an incredibly bright moment.”
“You think about being kind of married to one another on the road. Again, you didn’t have to be friends because you, in a way, are brothers and sisters when you do this.”
Cody also recalled traveling with PAC and the late Brodie Lee, smiling as he remembered the pair debating whether Newcastle or Rochester had the better exports. Looking back on that road trip now, he admitted it hurts knowing both men are gone far too soon.
“And thinking about a car with him and Brodie, Big Rig, debating who had better exports, Newcastle in the United Kingdom or Rochester, New York. And now thinking that, like, neither are here. Far, far too young.”
When talking about PAC as a performer, Cody couldn’t say enough about his talent. He described Ben as someone who was more gifted than almost anyone else in wrestling, yet somehow remained one of the most humble people in an industry often driven by ego.
“The biggest thing about Ben that I think everyone will probably echo the same sentiment was how incredibly humble and kind, and those just sound like words, but if you’re in an industry that’s ego-filled and selfish and all about me, me, me, and then you find someone who’s more talented than 99% of the people, and it’s not about him.”
“He was incredibly humble about his talent, and his talent was beyond immense.”
Even before they ever worked together, Cody said PAC had already built a legendary reputation through Dragon Gate. Once they finally shared the ring, he quickly understood why so many wrestlers spoke so highly of him.
“Even before I knew him, you heard about this guy from Dragon Gate and what he could do. He had almost a mythical knowledge around the different locker rooms.”
“One of the greatest guys to share the ring with because of his efficiency, his safety, his skill… I mean, he was just a one-of-one professional.”
Beyond everything PAC accomplished between the ropes, Cody said what impressed him most was how genuine he remained throughout his career. While many wrestlers spend years trying to figure out who they are, Ben always seemed completely comfortable in his own skin, something Cody admitted he admired and even found intimidating.
“But what I admired and was almost frightened by about Ben was how incredibly sincere, in an insincere world on occasion it can be.”
“He was always very well aware of who he was and who he could be and what he was going to be that night. And for someone who spent a lot of his career, myself, trying to find themselves, that’s almost intimidating.”
“And I leave, you know, today, thinking of all of that and how, thank you, because that made everyone better, and that’ll make me want to be better because you’ll want to be like Ben.”
Cody closed his tribute by looking toward the future, saying there’s no doubt future generations of wrestlers will study PAC’s in-ring style. More importantly, though, he hopes they also learn from the example Ben set as a person.
“I’m very lucky to have had those milestones. They would not be possible without you and your… your style and your way about the industry will be mimicked and copied, and people will try to discover the magic of what you could do in the ring.”
“And I hope they can discover the magic of what you did outside the ring, which was just maintain your identity and be a good man.”
PAC’s influence was never limited to what happened between the ropes, and Cody’s tribute made that abundantly clear. While countless wrestlers will try to recreate his incredible style, Cody believes Ben’s greatest legacy may ultimately be the kind of person he was away from the limelight.
What did you think of Cody Rhodes’ heartfelt tribute to PAC? Let us know your thoughts and memories of The Bastard in the comments below.
