Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s public tribute to the late Benjamin Satterley, the wrestler known internationally as PAC, reportedly prompted surprise inside WWE because of the language he used when addressing All Elite Wrestling.

The Rock, who is both the reigning WWE Champion and a member of TKO’s executive board, offered condolences to Satterley’s family, friends, colleagues and the AEW roster following PAC’s death. Satterley worked for WWE between 2012 and 2018 before becoming one of AEW’s defining in-ring performers under the PAC name.

While the message was fundamentally a memorial tribute, The Rock also spoke warmly about AEW and its place in professional wrestling. His description of the company as a promotion that is “growing into this phenomenal wrestling company” stood out because it came from one of WWE’s most visible representatives and a TKO board member.

Discussion of the remarks centered less on whether The Rock should have participated in a tribute and more on the degree of recognition he gave AEW. The distinction is important: honoring a wrestler who spent meaningful portions of his career in both WWE and AEW is one thing, while directly framing AEW as a positive force for the broader wrestling business is another.

For more background on this topic, read Chelsea Green Nods to The Bella Twins as Nikki Bella Targets WWE Women’s Title.

What The Rock said in his tribute

The Rock’s message acknowledged the many people connected to Satterley across wrestling, including those in WWE and AEW. He specifically addressed AEW President Tony Khan and AEW personality QT Marshall, both of whom he described as friends.

“To my friend Tony Khan, I’m so sorry for your loss. My friend QT [Marshall] and all the locker rooms, the men and women of AEW, I’m so sorry for your loss. And to those, of course, my colleagues in WWE who knew him well, I’m so sorry. So sorry all around.”

The Rock’s remarks reflected PAC’s cross-promotional career and the number of wrestlers, staff members and fans affected by his passing. Satterley’s WWE run made him familiar to audiences as Neville, while his work after leaving WWE established PAC as a major part of AEW’s identity. His career therefore connected two companies that have often been presented as rivals, even when individual performers and executives have expressed respect for one another.

The language regarding AEW was what reportedly created internal notice. The Rock did not merely offer sympathy to the company’s locker room. He publicly characterized AEW in approving terms and credited the promotion’s role in wrestling’s continued growth.

Reported reaction within WWE

On the October 2 edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said people in WWE were surprised by the phrasing of The Rock’s comments. Meltzer stressed that the issue was not the existence of a tribute video. Given PAC’s prior WWE tenure and The Rock’s stature, there was no indication that colleagues objected to him offering condolences.

Instead, the reported surprise concerned the praise extended to AEW. Meltzer said that WWE personnel were taken aback, particularly because The Rock sits on TKO’s board of directors in addition to his role as WWE Champion.

“Rock and Nick Khan are close. I do not believe that has changed. Were there people in WWE who were very surprised at his wording and what he said, especially with him being on the TKO board of directors? Yes, okay. They were very surprised.”

The Rock’s relationship with WWE President Nick Khan was also raised during the discussion. Meltzer said he did not know whether Khan was personally surprised by the message or whether The Rock had discussed it with him beforehand.

“Nick may not have been. He may have told Nick ahead of time. Maybe he didn’t. He can do whatever he wants.”

That uncertainty matters. No confirmation has been given that Nick Khan objected to the video, was unaware of it, or took any issue with its wording. The reported reaction was broader: some people in WWE were surprised that such a prominent WWE and TKO figure would offer an endorsement-like assessment of AEW’s value to the industry in a public memorial message.

A tribute was not the reported point of contention

Meltzer’s comments drew a clear line between The Rock honoring PAC and The Rock praising AEW. The former was not presented as controversial. PAC worked in WWE for six years, from 2012 through 2018, and built relationships there before later becoming one of AEW’s most respected performers.

The latter carried different implications because WWE and AEW are competitors in the modern wrestling marketplace. WWE has remained the industry’s largest promotion, while AEW has established itself as a significant national wrestling company with its own roster, television presence and fan base. Public comments from high-level representatives of either side can therefore receive heightened scrutiny, especially when they characterize the other promotion in favorable terms.

Meltzer said the wording appeared inconsistent with the message WWE would generally prefer to project about its competition.

“Not that he did the video, but the wording in the video, where he praised them and essentially gave the stamp of, ‘Yeah, you guys are good for business and work hard, and you’re helping make wrestling.’”

He added, “That’s not the message I think the company wants out. No one’s going to be mad at him doing the video, but the wording—people brought it up to me.”

Those remarks should not be read as confirmation of a formal WWE response or disciplinary action. There has been no stated indication that The Rock faced consequences, that WWE issued an internal directive, or that his relationship with company leadership changed. The report concerns surprise over his wording, not a documented dispute.

The unusual position The Rock occupies

The Rock’s position makes his public comments especially notable. He is not simply a former WWE star offering thoughts from outside the company. He is WWE Champion, a central on-screen figure, and a TKO executive board member. That combination means his words can be viewed through several lenses at once: as a personal statement from a longtime wrestler, as an expression from WWE’s top champion, and as comments from someone connected to the corporate entity overseeing WWE.

At the same time, a tribute following the death of a fellow wrestler naturally exists in a more personal space than a standard promotional interview or competitive business statement. The Rock addressed people across both locker rooms and framed his message around loss, condolences and shared connections. PAC’s career itself crossed company boundaries, making an acknowledgment of both WWE and AEW understandable within the context of a memorial.

The report does not suggest The Rock abandoned his WWE affiliation or made any announcement concerning AEW. Rather, the surprise reportedly came from his willingness to state publicly that AEW’s work has value for professional wrestling at large. For a major WWE representative, that is a more expansive statement than the usual rivalry-driven framing often associated with competition between the two promotions.

PAC’s career connected WWE and AEW

Satterley’s legacy is central to why The Rock’s tribute addressed both companies. In WWE, he competed from 2012 to 2018 and became known to many fans as Neville. After his departure, he returned to prominence as PAC and became an important AEW wrestler.

His career made him part of multiple locker rooms and multiple eras of modern wrestling. The Rock’s condolences recognized that reality, naming both the AEW wrestlers who worked alongside PAC and WWE colleagues who knew him during his earlier run.

For fans, the message was a reminder that professional wrestling’s competitive landscape does not erase the personal bonds built over years of travel, training and shared locker rooms. Wrestlers move between promotions, maintain friendships across company lines and mourn colleagues regardless of corporate affiliation. The Rock’s tribute placed the human loss first, even as his description of AEW generated reported discussion inside WWE.

No official WWE statement on the reported surprise

As of the discussion surrounding the tribute, there was no official WWE statement addressing the reported reaction to The Rock’s language. There was also no public response from Nick Khan regarding whether he knew about the remarks in advance. The available account leaves open the possibility that The Rock’s comments were known to some company leadership before they were released, while making clear that at least some WWE figures were surprised by the wording.

Ultimately, the reported internal reaction underscores how unusual The Rock’s position is within wrestling. He has the freedom and platform of one of the industry’s biggest stars, while also carrying the visibility and responsibilities that come with being WWE Champion and a TKO board member. In honoring PAC, he spoke to a loss shared across promotions. In praising AEW, he reportedly said something that some within WWE did not expect to hear from one of the company’s most prominent figures.

The tribute remains, first and foremost, an expression of sympathy for Benjamin Satterley’s loved ones and the many wrestlers who shared a locker room with him. The wider conversation around The Rock’s AEW comments illustrates the complicated balance between personal respect, corporate competition and the interconnected nature of professional wrestling.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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.