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Saito Brothers

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Saito Brothers
Jun Saito and Rei Saito
Tag team
MembersJun Saito
Rei Saito
Billed heightsJun:
1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)[1]
Rei:
1.92 m (6 ft 3+1⁄2 in)[2]
Combined
billed weight		Combined: 559 lb (254 kg)
255 lb (116 kg) (Jun)
304 lb (138 kg) (Rei)[1][2]
DebutJune 9, 2021[3][4]
Years active2021–present

The Saito Brothers are a professional wrestling tag team composed of Japanese American twin brothers Jun Saito (斉藤ジュン, Saitō Jun) and Rei Saito (斉藤レイ, Saitō Rei). They were born on December 19, 1986, in Kakuda, Miyagi, Japan to an American father and Japanese mother. They are signed with the Japanese professional wrestling promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling, where they were aligned with the Voodoo Murders stable, before they expanded the Saito Brothers from a tag team into a stable and added new members such as "Mr.Saito" Naruki Doi and Senor Saito.[5][6] They are also known for their work with various promotions of the Japanese independent scene.[7][8][9]

Sumo career

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In September 2009, after having prowess in the United States as American football players, the Saito brothers joined the Dewanoumi stable to compete in sumo. They were given the shikona (ring name) of Fujinoumi Jun (藤の海 順) and Fujinohana Rei (藤の花 礼). Jun achieved his highest rank of makushita 47 in July 2013 and retired in May 2017;[10] Rei achieved his highest rank of sandanme 16 in July 2012 and retired in September 2017.[11][12]

Professional wrestling career

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All Japan Pro Wrestling (2021–present)

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Jun and Rei in 2021

Trained by the All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) dojo from December 2020 through to June 2021, the Saito Brothers made their professional wrestling debut on the first night of the Dynamite Series on June 9, where they fell short to Ryuki Honda and Takao Omori in a tag team match.[13] On the first night of the 2022 Raising An Army Memorial Series from October 2, they joined the Voodoo Murders stable after teaming up with Yoshihiro Tajiri to defeat Hokuto Omori, Izanagi, Shuji Ishikawa and Takao Omori in eight-man tag team action.[14] They soon began chasing after tag team titles promoted by AJPW. At ManiaX In Korakuen Hall on September 19, 2022, they unsuccessfully challenged Gungnir Of Anarchy (Ryuki Honda and Shotaro Ashino) for the AJPW World Tag Team Championship.[15]

They competed in one of the promotion's signature events, the Real World Tag League, making their first appearance at the 2021 edition, where they placed themselves in the A block in which they failed to score any points after competing against the teams of Suwama and Shotaro Ashino, Abdullah Kobayashi and Drew Parker, and Jake Lee and Hokuto Omori.[16] At the 2022 edition, they scored a total of six points in a single block after going against the teams of Kento Miyahara and Takuya Nomura, Shuji Ishikawa and Cyrus, Jake Lee and Yuma Aoyagi, Suwama and Kono, Kuma Arashi and Koji Doi, Yuji Nagata and Yuma Anzai, and Shotaro Ashino and Ryuki Honda.[17] Another event in which they competed was the Champion Carnival. At the 2023 edition, they competed in separate blocks. Jun clashed into the A block with T-Hawk, Kento Miyahara, Ryuki Honda, Yuma Aoyagi, Satoshi Kojima, Cyrus and Yoshitatsu, scoring a total of six points, whilst Rei clashed into the B block against Shotaro Ashino, Shuji Ishikawa, Suwama, Manabu Soya, Hokuto Omori, Yuma Anzai, and Hokuto Omori, coming out the runner up with eight points.[18]

In October 2023, they competed in their first-ever hometown event in Kakuda, Miyagi, where they defeated Kento Miyahara and Yuma Aoyagi to win the World Tag Team Championship for the first time. They went on to successfully defend the titles four times.

In December 2023, though they narrowly missed winning the Best Tag Team Award presented by Tokyo Sports by just one vote, they were honored with the Newcomer Award(2023). The award review highlighted their achievements, including capturing the World Tag Team Championship, as well as their contributions outside the ring, such as their appearances on Miyagi Television's TAXI Meshi Returns.[19] In this program, they visit local restaurants recommended by taxi drivers, showcasing unique dishes from Miyagi Prefecture.[20]

On February 9, 2024, Rei suffered a dislocated right shoulder, forcing the team to vacate the championship.[21]

After his two-month absence, they regained the World Tag Team Championship on March 30, 2024, by defeating Hideki Suzuki and Suwama.

Japanese independent scene (2022–present)

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The Saito Brothers regularly appear on the Japanese independent scene. At Infinity: New Year, an event promoted by Active Advance Pro Wrestling on January 9, 2023, they picked up a victory over Kotaro Yoshino and Taishi Takizawa.[22] At Gleat's Ver. EX "Face-Off" Access 2 TDCH, on June 7, 2023, they defeated Bulk Orchestra (Check Shimatani and Hayato Tamura) to win the G-Infinity Championship, the first tag championships of their career.[23]

Overseas excursion (2022)

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Jun and Rei underwent a six-month foreign excursion in the first half of 2022, with most of their work spreading towards several promotions from the American scene and European scene. The first event they competed in was the January 21, 2022, episode of Fusion, promoted by Major League Wrestling, where they defeated Budd Heavy and Gnarls Garvin.[24] At Banjaxed 3, an event promoted by Over the Top Wrestling on June 26, 2022, they fell short to The Kings of the North (Bonesaw and Damien Corvin).[25]

Championships and accomplishments

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References

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  1. ^ a b All Japan Pro Wrestling. Profiles/斉藤 ジュン. all-japan.co.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  2. ^ a b All Japan Pro Wrestling. Profiles/斉藤 レイ. all-japan.co.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  3. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Wrestlers Database » Jun Saito". cagematch.net. Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  4. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Wrestlers Database » Rei Saito". cagematch.net. Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  5. ^ "【全日本】斉藤ブラザーズにまさかの土井成樹が加入「俺たち３人で斉藤ブラザーズや！」". 東スポWEB (in Japanese). 2024-05-29. Retrieved 2024-11-17.
  6. ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2024-11-17.
  7. ^ Saalbach, Axel. "The Saito Brothers • General Information". wrestlingdata.com. Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  8. ^ Internet Wrestling Database (IWD). "Jun Saito Profile & Match Listing". profightdb.com. Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  9. ^ Internet Wrestling Database (IWD). "Rei Saito Profile & Match Listing". profightdb.com. Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  10. ^ "Fujinoumi Jun Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Archived from the original on October 25, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  11. ^ "Fujinohana Rei Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Archived from the original on October 25, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  12. ^ "Dewanoumi-beya Official site > Report" 出羽海部屋 公式サイト＞リポート. Dewanoumi stable (in Japanese). 2017. Archived from the original on November 4, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  13. ^ Di Trolio, Gerard (June 10, 2021). "AJPW DYNAMITE SERIES 2021 (JUNE 9) RESULTS & REVIEW". voicesofwrestling.com. Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  14. ^ Dark Angelita (October 12, 2022). "AJPW: "Raising an Army Memorial Series 2022" Aoyagi vence a HAYATO". superluchas.com (in Spanish). Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  15. ^ Di Trolio, Gerard (September 19, 2022). "AJPW #AJPW MANIAX (SEPTEMBER 19) RESULTS & REVIEW". voicesofwrestling.com. Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  16. ^ All Japan Pro Wrestling (December 5, 2021). 「2021 世界最強タッグ決定リーグ戦 ～積田冷熱工事株式会社 presents～」【優勝決定戦】東京・後楽園ホール≪18:30開始≫. all-japan.co.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 16, 2022. Retrieved April 16, 2022.
  17. ^ Dark Angel (October 12, 2022). "AJPW: The "Real World Tag League 2022" is announced". superluchas.com. Archived from the original on February 22, 2023. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  18. ^ "野村直矢選手欠場に伴う「#ajpwチャンピオンカーニバル2023」 Bブロック出場者決定のお知らせ". All Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 1, 2023. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  19. ^ "プロレス大賞公式サイト". プロレス大賞公式サイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-11-17.
  20. ^ ”株式会社宮城テレビ放送”. "TAXIめし リターンズ｜OH!バンデス｜MMT ミヤギテレビ". MMT ミヤギテレビ (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-11-17.
  21. ^ "斉藤 ジュン | 全日本プロレス公式サイト". 全日本プロレス公式サイト | (in Japanese). 2024-11-07. Retrieved 2024-11-17.
  22. ^ マスク女子 (January 10, 2023). 【2AW】メインはGLEAT井土が勝利！井戸と吉田、お互いを意識か！？＜1・9 2AWスクエア大会＞. proresu-today.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  23. ^ a b Lidet Entertainment (June 7, 2023). GLEAT Ver.EX “FACE-OFF” ACCESS 2 TDCH. lidet.co.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  24. ^ Dinsdale, John (February 18, 2022). "Climbing the Mountains of Madness – MLW FUSION #133 – Review". wrestlingsc.com. Archived from the original on October 25, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  25. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip (June 26, 2022). "OTT Banjaxed 3". cagematch.net. Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  26. ^ a b Ross, Patrick (September 10, 2024). "Full 2024 PWI 500 list revealed". aiptcomics.com. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  27. ^ "PWI Tag Team 100 2023 Full List". wrestlingtravel.com. Wrestling Travel. 22 November 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  28. ^ Currier, Joseph (December 12, 2023). "Tetsuya Naito wins 2023 Tokyo Sports MVP Award". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Archived from the original on December 12, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  29. ^ Lafferriere, Nicolas (December 12, 2023). "Tokyo Sports premia a Tetsuya Naito como el mejor luchador del 2023". Solowrestling (in Spanish). Archived from the original on December 12, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
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