Pac's All-Atlantic Challengers Ranked from Worst to Best

1. Connor Mills

Connor Mills ranking does not come from a lack of skill or talent. It would be hard to say if he does or doesn't have either as he isn't known internationally.

This match took place the day after LJ Cleary challenged Pac. The match seems to have main evented Rev Pro Summer Sizzler 2022. It lasted 18 min and 16 seconds. One notable thing about this match is that then future challenger Kip Sabian was in the crowd.

Due to input I was given about him in relation to other perfomers on the list and his lack of international exposure is why Connor Mills is ranked the worst challenger on the list.

2. LJ Cleary

This young man's placement is hurt by the fact that he isn't well known internationally. I do have it on good authority that LJ Cleary is a rising star on the Irish independent wrestling scene. LJ Cleary frequently appears for Over The Top Wrestling (OTT).

His shot at then Pac's All Atlantic Championship came at OTT Poetry Slam. The event was held in Dublin on 22 July 2022. The match lasted for 15 min 15 seconds. This was Pac's second successful defense.

3. Shota Umino

The son of Legendary NJPW referee Red Shoes Unno, Shota Umino was the first title defense for Pac at RevPro. That match lasted 18 min 43 seconds.

Umino made his pro wrestling debut in 2017 in New Japan's Lion Gate promotion. Umino began his excusrions in 2019. He has had numerous bouts with Will Ospreay and his Unted Empire faction. Even unsuccessfully challenging Ospreay for the IWGP United States Championship. Umino's higest profile match for American Audiences came when he teamed with Eddie Kingston and Wheeler Yuta against Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara, and Minoru Suzuki at Forbidden Door.

Shota Umino takes the number 3 slot mainly due to his short career span. While he does have a major upside that I can see including multiple reigns as world champion. Umino just hasn't gotten there yet. Additionally, the build up for his match was slightly lack luster. Challenging at RevPro Live in Sheffield made the outcome feel predetermined. It was like if the Young Bucks wrestled on Dark or Dark Elevation everyone knows they are going over.

4. Trent?

Trent? is an origninal member of the Best Friends faction. Trent? was the last successful defense for Pac. This occurred at AEW Battle of the Belts IV in Washington D.C. on October 7, 2022. The match lasted 14 min 24 seconds.

Trent? made his wrestling debut in 2004. In 2009 Trent? made his ECW debut as part of the Dude Busters. At the time he was using Trent Beretta. In 2013 he would return to the independent scene where he formed the tag team Best Friends with Chuck Taylor during the 2013 Battle of Los Angeles. Trent? would also spend time in NJPW participating in both thier Best of the Super Junior Weights Tournament and Super Jr. Tag Tournaments. While in NJPW he would form yet another tag team this time with Choas stablemate Rocky Romero. Trent? did have a stint in TNA where he won the X-Division Championship. On Feb 7, 2019 Trent? was one of the major announcements of talent signing for the Las Vegas Press Conference held by AEW. Since joining AEW, Best friends has had one of the best fueds in AEW history with Proud and Powerful that culminated in a Parking Lot Brawl.

So what puts Trent? at number 4? He has been typcast as a tag team wrestler. In just the short recap of his career above you can see that he is known for three tag teams. Yes Trent? could carry a singles title that is not a reasonable question. The fact that Tony Khan booked Trent? to challenge Pac for the All Atalantic Title added grafitas to the championship.

5. Orange Cassidy

Orange Cassidy is a beloved wrestler known as the King of Sloth Style and current All Atlantic Champion. He has had high profile fueds with Pac, Chris Jericho, Miro, and Kip Sabian. Those fueds included memorable matches such as the Mimosa Mayhem Match and the Arcade Anarchy Match. Orange Cassidy debuted with Chikara 2005 as a masked luchador called Fire Ant. The Orange Cassidy persona would make a formal debut in 2012.

Cassidy challenged for the championship twice. The first was a losing effort in Arthur Ashe Stadium for at AEW Grand Slam 2022. Then he won the title on Dynamite in Toronto. The only time an AEW Championship has changed hands outside the United States of America. The matches lasted 12 min 34 sec and 11 min 18 sec.

Orange Cassidy and the number one ranking can be interchangable depeding on who is doing the analysis. Cassidy is over with the fans and has tremendous in ring talent. When he challenged for the title it was a renewal of an old fued. The fact that he is the current champion is proof that Orange Cassidy is a challenger worthy of this placement.

6. Kip Sabian

Finally the Number One Ranked Challenger Kip Sabian. His unsuccessful challenge to the title came at All Out 2022 Zero Hour. This was after months of build which included taunts on Twitter, Dynamite, and other promotions. Kip's long awaited return to action was jumping Pac during the Dynamite Main Event on 24 August 2022. The attack was done via trickery by planting a fake Kip Sabian in the crowd.

Sabian was trained by the Knight family in the UK. His resume includes being the first winner of a singles match in AEW when he defeated Sammy Guevera at the ingural Double or Nothing. Some of his most memorable moments on AEW tv has been his wedding to Penelope Ford with Best Man Miro. Shenanigans from this led to the Arcade Anarchy Match against the Best Friends. Kip would then unfortunately be sidelined with a shoulder injury for over a year. However, while out of action his character evolved into what it is now. Initally wearing a box and hanging outside areas doing free meet and greet to eventually sitting ringside and getting more air time than most active wrestlers.

Kip Sabian's build and character work is what ranks him at the top of this list. Not only does Kip have amazing fan interaction on Twitter (@TheKipSabian) but he also uses it to build the fueds or welcome friends such as Saraya to AEW. One example of the fued buliding is calling Orange Cassidy- Celemintine on Twitter. His action figure was a top ten seller for Ringside Collectibles when it came out. The self proclaimed Forgotten Pillar of AEW truly is Underrated; Over it.