Chris Jericho has reflected on the early days of All Elite Wrestling and his own efforts to bring major names into the company as it was taking shape in 2019. In discussing that period, Jericho said he personally reached out to both Jon Moxley and PAC, two wrestlers who would become central figures in AEW’s history.
The comments arrive during a difficult period for the wrestling industry, with performers and fans mourning the death of PAC. As tributes continue, much of the conversation around his career has returned to the impact he made after joining AEW and the distinctive path that led him there.
For Jericho, PAC was not simply another talented wrestler on a growing roster. He was someone Jericho believed could help establish what the new promotion hoped to be: a destination for wrestlers with different styles, backgrounds, and ambitions. PAC’s situation, however, was complicated by his ongoing commitment to Dragon Gate, where he was among the promotion’s most prominent international stars.
Jericho Says He Made The Call
Jericho recalled that Tony Khan and The Young Bucks were among those trying to connect with PAC and Moxley during AEW’s launch period. But Jericho said he also made direct contact, including a call to PAC, whom he referred to as Ben.
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“Ben, he was one of the first guys that I called,” Jericho said. “Tony was calling him, the Bucks were calling him. But I called Mox, and I called PAC.”
At the time, PAC was still deeply tied to Dragon Gate. He had developed into the company’s top foreign wrestler and was carrying the Open the Dream Gate Championship, Dragon Gate’s leading singles title. That role gave him substantial responsibilities and made an immediate move into AEW less straightforward than it may have appeared from the outside.
Jericho said PAC was reluctant to leave Dragon Gate too quickly because of that loyalty. Rather than press the issue, Jericho described presenting AEW as a place PAC could consider when the timing made sense.
“And Ben was working in Dragon Gate, and didn't want to quite leave from there late, cause he had loyalty to Dragon Gate,” Jericho said. “I was like ‘Okay, that's cool. But when you're ready, trust me, you're going to love it, because we're here for the right reasons, for the love of wrestling,’ you know? And then he came and he was amazing.”
Jericho’s recollection underscores how AEW’s earliest roster-building efforts were shaped not only by negotiations and announcements, but also by existing relationships throughout wrestling. The company launched with the promise of creating a major new stage for performers while still drawing heavily from talent whose careers and commitments had been built elsewhere.
PAC’s Dragon Gate Commitment Shaped His AEW Start
PAC appeared at AEW’s Jacksonville rally in January 2019 with the Open the Dream Gate Championship in his possession, a visible sign that he was connected to the new company while continuing to represent Dragon Gate at the highest level. It was a striking moment because it placed one of Japan’s most important championship belts in the orbit of AEW’s opening presentation.
Yet PAC’s championship obligations would influence the timetable of his AEW in-ring arrival. His debut for the promotion was delayed until late August 2019, as he remained active in Dragon Gate and continued defending the Open the Dream Gate title.
He eventually lost that championship to Ben-K at the Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival in July 2019. With that title reign concluded, PAC was able to move more fully into AEW competition. The sequence demonstrated the balancing act involved in his transition: he was positioned as an important AEW name from early on, but he did not simply walk away from the role he held in Japan.
That decision also reflected the professional respect PAC had earned in Dragon Gate. Being champion meant representing the promotion in major matches and carrying its top prize. His continued presence there before committing fully to AEW was not treated as an obstacle to dismiss; in Jericho’s telling, it was evidence of PAC’s loyalty.
Why PAC Was A Natural Fit For AEW
When PAC did begin competing in AEW, his value was immediately clear. His athleticism, intensity, and ability to work within multiple wrestling styles made him an especially natural fit for a company that presented itself as internationally minded from the outset.
AEW’s early identity was built around variety. The roster included established American television names, independent wrestling standouts, talent with strong Japanese wrestling connections, and performers familiar to audiences in Mexico and the United Kingdom. PAC fit that approach particularly well. He brought major-event experience, a reputation as one of the world’s most dynamic in-ring competitors, and credibility from his Dragon Gate championship reign.
Jericho’s words that PAC “was amazing” are simple, but they align with how PAC’s AEW work was received over time. He became known as a performer who could add urgency to almost any match or rivalry. His presence also helped reinforce the idea that AEW was not limiting itself to one narrow definition of main-event talent.
Just as importantly, PAC’s early circumstances showed that AEW’s formation involved patience. The company was not able to immediately place every wrestler it wanted into the ring. Existing contracts, championship duties, and personal loyalties remained real factors. In PAC’s case, his eventual arrival carried added significance precisely because it followed the completion of his Dragon Gate responsibilities.
Moxley And PAC Represented Key Early Additions
Jericho grouped PAC and Moxley together when discussing the calls he made. While their paths into AEW were different, both became consequential additions during the company’s formative period.
Moxley’s eventual AEW arrival gave the promotion another major star with a well-established profile and a clear desire to chart a new course in his career. PAC, meanwhile, offered a different kind of credibility: he was a globally respected wrestler whose standing in Dragon Gate made clear that he was not merely an available free agent waiting for an opportunity.
Together, their presence helped AEW assemble a roster capable of generating immediate attention while also setting the foundation for future competition. Jericho was already a defining figure in the company’s launch, and his willingness to make calls to other prominent wrestlers speaks to the collaborative effort involved in building the early roster.
It is important, however, to frame Jericho’s comments as his personal account of that recruitment process. He did not claim to be the only person involved. On the contrary, he specifically noted that Khan and The Young Bucks were also contacting PAC. The broader picture is of several influential people within AEW reaching out as the promotion sought to establish itself.
A Legacy Remembered
PAC’s death has prompted many people throughout wrestling to revisit the body of work he left behind. The story of his move into AEW is now part of that legacy. He was present at the company’s earliest public rally, but his actual transition took time because he remained committed to a championship reign and to Dragon Gate.
Jericho’s memory of encouraging him to join when he was ready adds a personal detail to that story. It portrays PAC as a wrestler who valued loyalty and did not abandon a major obligation lightly. It also portrays AEW’s early leadership and talent as convinced that he belonged in the company once the conditions were right.
For fans looking back at AEW’s beginning, PAC’s journey remains a reminder that the company’s original roster did not materialize all at once. Some arrivals were immediate, while others developed through conversations, timing, and the resolution of commitments elsewhere. PAC’s eventual contribution ensured that the wait mattered.
As the wrestling world continues to remember him, the details of those first AEW conversations carry additional weight. Jericho’s recollection is ultimately less about taking sole credit for a signing than it is about recognizing PAC’s importance from the start—and about the belief that a wrestler of his caliber would thrive when he finally entered AEW.
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Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.