Rei Saito Completes Incredible Comeback, Wins Champion Carnival 2025, Sets Up Triple Crown Showdown With Brother Jun Saito

By: Lewis Carlan

Rei Saito has pulled off an incredible comeback to win the All Japan Pro-Wrestling Champion Carnival 2025 tournament. Saito started the  annual tournament with three consecutive losses making his hopes of winning this years Champion Carnival very bleak. But Saito defied the odds and went on to finish competition with seven straight victories which enabled him to gain possession of the prestigious Champion Carnival trophy.

The semi-finals and finals of the tournament were held on May 18th as more than 2,200 fans filled the Ota City General Gymnasium to witness the event. In the semi-finals, Saito defeated Hideki Suzuki by referee stoppage. The two engaged in strike filled fight that saw Saito knockout Suzuki in under two minutes as referee gave him a ten count before stopping the bout and declaring Saito the winner.

The finals saw Saito face Kento Miyahara, who defeated Ryuki Honda earlier in the event to earn his spot in the finals. Saito defeated Miyahara in a little over 22 minutes with a BBQ Bomb to win the Champion Carnival for the first time in his career.

With his Champion Carnival win, Rei Saito has earned the opportunity to challenge for the AJPW Triple Crown Championship which is held by his brother Jun Saito. The brothers had an in-ring confrontation following Rei Saito’s win.

Rei Saito has faced his brother Jun in just a handful of singles matches over the years with each holding a victory over the other. The past singles matches they have had against each doesn’t come close to the magnitude of their upcoming bout for the AJPW Triple Crown Championship.

With so much at stake, Jun Saito vs. Rei Saito for AJPW Triple Crown Championship will being the biggest match in the careers of both brothers and quite frankly, the fans of AJPW can’t wait for it to happen.

Here are the full results for AJPW Champion Carnival 2025 courtesy of purolove.com:

• Taishin Nagao defeats Shota Kofuji (6:01) with a crab hold.
• Champion Carnival – Semi Final: Kento Miyahara defeated Ryuki Honda (9:53) with a Crucifix Hold.
• Champion Carnival – Semi Final: Rei Saito defeated Hideki Suzuki (1:49) by knockout
• Kengo Mashima, Madoka Kikuta, Shuji Kondo & Seigo Tachibana defeated Davey Boy Smith Jr., Ren Ayabe, Atsuki Aoyagi & Ryo Inoue (9:30) after a rolling lariat by Kikuta on Inoue
• Fuminori Abe 10th Anniversary Debut Match ~ AJPW TV Six Man Tag Team Title: Hokuto Omori, Kuma Arashi & Takashi Yoshida  defeated Yuma Aoyagi, Fuminori Abe & Hikaru Sato (c) (15:35) after the Narcissist Press of Omori vs Aoyagi – title change.
• Shotaro Ashino, Xyon & Dan Tamura defeated Jun Saito, “Mr. Saito” Naruki Doi & Senor Saito (11:03) after Xyon’s Xyon Spear vs. Senor.
• All Asia Tag Team Title: Rising HAYATO & Yuma Anzai (c) defeated Mike D. Vecchio & Aigle Blanc (16:38) after the Sid Vicious of HAYATO against Blanc (6th defense).
• AJPW World Jr. Heavyweight Title: Seiki Yoshioka defeated MUSASHI (c) (23:46) with the Crash Driver – title change.
• Champion Carnival – Final: Rei Saito defeated Kento Miyahara (24:22) with the BBQ Bomb.