Young Bucks Recall PAC’s Advice Against Signing With WWE

Matt and Nick Jackson used a recent episode of Being the Elite to share a personal story about their friendship with the late PAC, revealing that he once urged them not to sign with WWE during a period when the brothers were seriously weighing the move.

According to the Young Bucks, the advice came up during a stretch when they had lost touch with PAC following his own move to WWE. The two sides eventually reconnected, and it was during that renewed friendship that PAC reportedly pushed back on the idea of the Bucks making the jump themselves.

For longtime fans, the relationship between the Young Bucks and PAC is layered with history. The three were central figures in the independent and international wrestling scene for years before AEW existed, and PAC’s own journey — leaving WWE, rebuilding his reputation overseas, and becoming one of the most respected in-ring performers of his generation — gave him a unique vantage point on what signing with the company actually meant for a career built on creative control and in-ring freedom.

That perspective clearly mattered to Matt and Nick, who ultimately built their careers around exactly the kind of autonomy PAC seemed to be warning them away from losing. The Bucks became two of the most influential behind-the-scenes figures in modern wrestling, helping found AEW and shaping its creative direction as executive vice presidents. Being the Elite itself, the long-running web series where they revealed this story, has been a cornerstone of that independent-minded approach since well before AEW was a reality — a direct extension of the same ethos PAC is said to have encouraged them to protect.

The Bucks choosing to share this memory now says as much about their relationship with PAC as it does about where they see their own career arc fitting into wrestling history. It’s a reminder that the industry’s biggest crossroads moments — whether to chase the biggest stage or stay the course on your own terms — are often shaped by conversations fans never hear about until years later.

Neither Matt nor Nick signed with WWE, and the paths their careers took instead helped lay the groundwork for AEW’s existence. Hearing them credit part of that decision to PAC adds another layer to his legacy within the industry, beyond his in-ring accomplishments in AEW, NJPW, and WWE alike.

No further details about the conversation, including when exactly it took place, were shared on the episode. But the story fits a familiar pattern for Being the Elite, which has long served as a vehicle for the Bucks to blend comedy with genuine, unscripted reflections on their careers and friendships.

Expect the moment to resonate further across the wrestling community as fans continue to process PAC’s impact on the business and the people who worked alongside him.