AEW Stars Honor PAC Hours After Passing At Wrestling Show
Marina Shafir and Lance Archer paid emotional tribute to PAC at Sunday’s Warrior Wrestling event following the AEW star’s sudden passing at the age of 40.
The event took place after AEW announced PAC’s death, just one day after he competed at the company’s pay-per-view. Shafir, who was aligned with PAC as part of the Death Riders, climbed onto the top turnbuckle and struggled to process the fact that she had been with him less than 24 hours earlier.
“I was just holding this man yesterday,” an emotional Shafir said. “Wrestling drives you to places in your mind…he was the best. He was the f****** best.”
Shafir said one of the things that made PAC special was how comfortable he was with himself despite rarely drawing attention to it.
“You know why? Because he knew himself,” she continued. “And I think…he was just so modest about how fascinating he was.”
Shafir admitted she didn’t know how to process the loss, describing PAC as “the light of us” before urging those in attendance not to take their loved ones for granted.
“Please, tell the people you love in your life that you love them,” Shafir said. “I was just very happy I got to tell him that I loved him yesterday.”
She added that the two hugged and spoke about everything from “weiner dogs and basketball courts” during their final conversation.
“Everything,” she said. “He brought the inner bastard out in me.”
Lance Archer eventually joined Shafir as she grabbed a beer and asked the crowd to observe a moment of silence.
Earlier in the event, Archer had also addressed PAC’s passing and explained why he ultimately decided to wrestle that night. Archer said he spoke with Jon Moxley beforehand and questioned whether going forward with the show was the right thing to do.
“There’s really only one reason I performed tonight because I talked to Jon Moxley, who is obviously part of PAC’s group with Marina and him,” Archer said. “And I asked him, I said, ‘Should we do this tonight? Should we perform?’”
According to Archer, Moxley’s response was simple: “You only get one lifetime.”
Archer said Moxley encouraged him to go out, give everything he had and perform for the fans who had paid to attend, while doing so in honor of those the AEW family has lost.
“You go out there and you do what you do. Do it to the best of your ability,” Archer recalled. “Entertain the people who came and paid hard money. And you do it in honor and remembrance of our fallen brothers.”
Archer referenced Brodie Lee and the recent passing of The Butcher before turning his attention back to PAC.
“So he said, ‘You go out there and perform. You put on your boots and perform. You go out there because that is what PAC would have wanted you to do,’” Archer said.
He finished by relaying Moxley’s message about honoring PAC in the most fitting way they knew how.
“He wanted you to go out there and perform. Put your boots on, get in the ring, and kick each other in the face and enjoy life.”
After Lance Archer match he talked to the crowd about PAC pic.twitter.com/y95wjIuTN6
— Smilee (@CMSmilee) September 28, 2026
Marina shares a emotional statement about PAC after her match pic.twitter.com/GAEeNe66HE
— Smilee (@CMSmilee) September 28, 2026
