Hall of Famer reveals Vince McMahon’s original plans for Neville aka PAC in WWE
(Courtesy : Getty)
Neville, aka PAC, has had an impressive run in WWE
Making his NXT debut in 2013 and WWE RAW roster debut in 2015, Neville, aka PAC in AEW, established himself as one of the most exciting high-flyers and technically gifted performers of his generation. His athleticism, innovative offense, and spectacular aerial moves earned him a strong following.
While all this was very much on display, the WWE had an interesting plan for the former Cruiserweight champion and WWE Hall of Famer; JBL revealed the same in his recent interview.
Vince McMahon had major plans for Neville
Known as the “King of the Cruiserweights”, PAC showcased his versatility and character work. Despite leaving WWE in 2018, Neville’s impact remains significant among fans of modern high-flying wrestling.
Speaking on the ‘Something to Wrestle’ podcast, JBL spoke about the part where Vince McMahon showed huge admiration for Neville.
“When Neville came in, man, he was unbelievable. I mean, just unreal. You know, Vince loved Mighty Mouse, and he wanted Neville to be Mighty Mouse, but he already had one in Rey Mysterio.
You know, one thing with the themes for Rey was that it was based on what Vince thought Mighty Mouse would have. You know, that’s how much Vince loved that character.”
JBL also explained that he and Michael Cole were closely involved in WWE’s creative and production meetings when Neville joined the company. They had access to the plans for upcoming shows and helped ensure the announcers were informed.
The speaker also recalls receiving confidential instructions directly from Vince McMahon, along with Cole. Vince trusted them because they were considered reliable and did not leak information.
“And I remember several times in the meetings, wanting to position Neville more as Mighty Mouse, which obviously he’s perfect for. You know, it was something that he could have done. That superhero, the superhero that could do things. And he was that. He was perfect for that.”
JBL also recalled that Vince McMahon viewed the live WWE crowd as a “test audience” whose reactions helped gauge a wrestler’s popularity.
According to him, Neville consistently received significantly stronger crowd reactions—“twice as much as everybody else.” This was presented as evidence of Neville’s ability to connect with fans.
“I was sitting there one day, and they talked about how many impressions he was getting. He was getting double the impressions of everybody else when he came in, because when social media first came in, we started getting the social media reports and the impression reports about who was getting what.”
In the end, JBL praised Neville personally, describing him as a world-class talent and a genuinely good person who was always pleasant and easy to talk to. Rock also had special.
Also Read: Why did PAC fka Neville leave WWE in 2018 before joining AEW?
The Rock paid tribute to Neville
Following Benjamin Satterley, aka PAC’s, sudden demise at the age of 40, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson shared an emotional video paying tribute. The Universal Boss described the wrestling community as a close-knit family united by its passion for the business.
He expressed his condolences to PAC’s family, Tony Khan, the AEW locker room, and his former WWE colleagues.
The Rock became visibly emotional while discussing the loss, particularly because PAC was so young and talented.
“When we lose one of our own, it hurts. And when they’re young and so insanely talented, it really, really f*cking hurts.”
“God bless you, Benjamin, and thank you for the memories, and thank you for entertaining the masses… thank you for moving the crowd… thank you for the house.”
Interestingly, WWE officials found another angle to Rock’s speech, even though the former champion looked to put his feelings out.
Neville left WWE in 2018 and joined AEW in 2019. In AEW, he became the inaugural AEW All-Atlantic Champion (AEW International Championship) and also a two-time AEW Trios Champion.
Catch Every Update, Anytime, Anywhere
What was Neville’s final match?
Neville’s (Benjamin Satterley, aka PAC in AEW) final match was against Andrade El Idolo at AEW All Out on September 26, 2026, where he lost via pinfall.
Which titles did Neville win in WWE?
Neville won the Cruiserweight Championship twice, while capturing the NXT Championship and the NXT Tag Team Championship once.
For more updates, follow Khel Now Wrestling on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Telegram & Whatsapp.