The Saito Brothers (斉藤兄弟 Saitō Kyōdai) are a Japanese professional wrestling tag team, consisting of real-life twin-brothers, who are known by their ring names Jun (ジュン) and Rei (レイ) Saito, respectively. The due were trained and are currently signed to All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW). Through a working relationship between AJPW and GLEAT, they also work for the promotion, where they are former two-time World Tag Team Champions, while also being a former one-time G-INFINITY Champions.
Born in Japan to an American father and a Japanese mother, both brothers moved to America at 15 and then returned to Japan in 2009, when they made their debut in the Sumo Wrestling before retiring from Sumo Wrestling in 2017.
In 2021, they made their professional wrestling debut after being trained in the AJPW Dojo. In November of the same year, Rei and Jun were sent to the United States to further their wrestling training and gain international experience, a tradition with most rookies in Japan. While training in the United States, they worked in the American Independent circuit until the beginning of the fall of 2022. They started to come to prominence in October, when they turned heel and joined the newly reformed Voodoo Murders, this culminated in them winning AJPW's World Tag Team Championship in October of the year after and being awarded the Rookie Award by Tokyo Sports in December. In 2024, Tokyo Sports awarded them with the Tag Team Award.
Early life[]
Jun and Rei Sato were born on December 19, 1986 in Kakuda, Miyagi, Japan to an American father and a Japanese mother; However, they moved to the United States as teenagers and completed their education in the United States. During their years in school, both practiced American football. They returned to their birth country Japan and started practicing Sumo Wrestling under the the Dewanoumi Sumo stable. Their shikona (sumo ring-name) were Fujinohanarei (Jun) and Fujinokaijun (Rei). They made their Sumo debut in September 2009; However eight years later, they retired from Sumo with Jun having his retirement in May 29 and Rei having his retirement in September 25, 2017, four months after one-another. Jun was in a division higher than his brother Rei, with Jun ranking in 47th place of the West Makushita division and Rei ranking in 16th place of the West Sandanme division.
Professional wrestling career[]
All Japan Pro-Wrestling (2020–Present)[]
In December 2020, Jun and Rei had an introductory test to earn a training spot in the All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) dojo, which they passed and were accepted into the dojo. They made their professional wrestling debut on June 9, 2021, losing to the veteran team of Ryuki Honda and Takao Omori. On June 26 at AJPW's Champion Night, Jun defeated Rei in their first singles bout with Jun defeating Rei by submission with the Boston Crab. As is customary for most professional wrestlers, Jun and Rei spent most of his matches losing to other, more experienced wrestlers, which would help put over other wrestlers while at the same time give them some in-ring, televised, experience. On August 15, Jun took part in the 2021 Ōdō Tournament, losing in the first round to Suwama in under three minutes. From November 13 to December 5, they took part in the World's Strongest Tag Determination League losing all of their matches. On November 13, in the first day of the tournament, they announced that they were going on a learning excursion. The following months, they traveled to the United States and the United Kingdom to work with AJPW's partner promotion, Major League Wrestling (MLW) for a short stay. They also worked for various promotions in the American and British independent circuit, before returning to All Japan in September 2022.
On September 18, they made their return from their excursion at AJPW's 50th Anniversary Show, where they along Cyrus faced Shuji Ishikawa, Kohei Sato and Yukio Naya in a winning effort. Later that night, Saito Brothers challenged Shotaro Ashino and Ryuki Honda to a title match for the World Tag Team Championship, which they failed to win on the next day. On October 2, Jun and Rei attacked Jake Lee and Yuma Aoyagi and became the newest members of Voodoo Murders, turning heel in the process. From November 13 until December 7, they took part in the 2022 World's Strongest Determination Tag League, finishing the tournament with a record of three wins and four losses, failing to advance to the finals of the tournament.
On January 2, 2023, Saito Brothers were defeated by Naoya Nomura and Yuma Aoyagi in a number one contenders to the World Tag Team Championship. From April 8 and May 7, Jun and Rei took part in the 2023 Champion Carnival, wrestling on seperate blocks. Jun finishing the tournament with a record of three wins and four losses, while Rei finished the tournament with a record of four wins and three losses, both failing to advance to the finals of the tournament. On October 9, Saito Brothers defeated Kento Miyahara and Yuma Aoyagi to win the World Tag Team Championship. From November 12 until December 6, Saito Brothers took part in the 2023 World's Strongest Tag Determination League, finishing the tournament with a record of five wins and four losses, failing to win the tournament. Around the same time, Rei took part in DDT's 2023 D-Oh Grand Prix, where he finished the tournament with a record of four wins, one loss, with a loss against Yukio Naya, in their head-to-head match, costing him a spot in the finals of the tournament. On February 12, Saito Brothers vacated the World Tag Team Championship, after Rei suffered a shoulder injury, causing them to miss a scheduled title defense against Kento Miyahara and Yuma Aoyagi on February 25. On February 23, Saito Brothers decided to vacate the G-INFINITY Championship, after Rei's recovery from his injury would take for longer than initially anticipated.
Rei made his return from injury on March 9, alongside Jun announcing his return from injury, before challenging Hideki Suzuki and Suwama to a title match for the World Tag Team Championship, since they had never lost the titles. The defeated Suwama and Suzuki to regain the titles on March 30. Afterwards, Saito Brothers left Voodoo Murders, after TARU decided to withdrawing the stable from AJPW, following the positive fan reaction towards Saito Brothers and their rise of popularity. From April 18 until May 8, Saito Brothers were granted entry into the 2024 Champion Carnival, their first Champion Carnival tournament, wrestling seperately in the same block. Rei was victorious over Jun in the head-to-head match between them, but he was left behind him in the final standings due to losing to Ryuki Honda on the final day. Meanwhile, Jun advance to finals of the tournament, after finishing his block with a record of the five wins and two losses. On May 12, Jun was defeated by Kento Miyahara in the finals of the 2024 Champion Carnival.
On May 29, Saito Brothers stated that their ambitions are to capture all the belts in AJPW. Due to not being eligible to challenge for the World Junior Heavyweight Championship, they would align themselves with Naruki Doi, who dubbed himself as "Mr. Saito", leading them to challenge for the AJPW TV 6-Man Tag Team Championship. On June 24 at AJPW Dynamite Series, Jun, Rei and Doi faced ELPIDA's Ren Ayabe, Rising HAYATO and Ryuki Honda in a elimination match, which they won, after Doi scored a direct pinfall victory over HAYATO. This sparked a feud between The Saito Brothers and ELPIDA, with Doi challenging HAYATO to a title match for the World Junior Heavyweight Championship, which HAYATO accepted and Saito Brothers hinting that a new member would join them to even the odds against ELPIDA. On July 13, Doi defeated HAYATO to win the World Junior Heavyweight Championship. Afterwards, he announced that he also wanted to challenge for the All Asia Tag Team Championship, on July 20, with his partner being "Senor Saito", which they failed to win from MUSASHI and Seiki Yoshioka on July 20. From November 13 until December 1, Saito Brothers took part in the 2024 World's Strongest Tag Determination League, finishing the tournament, with a clean record of six wins, advancing to the semifinals of the tournament. On December 8, Saito Brothers defeated Ryuki Honda and Ren Ayabe and then Kento Miyahara and Davey Boy Smith Jr., in the semifinals and finals, respectively, to win the 2024 World's Strongest Tag Determination League. As the reigning World Tag Team Champions, they went completely undefeated throughout the tournament, becoming the first team in history to achieve this feat and the first team to win the tournament unbeaten. This achievement saw them receive the Tag Team of the Year award by Tokyo Sports. On December 31, Jun defeated Davey Boy Smith Jr. to win the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship for the first time. On February 9, 2025, Saito Brothers set a new record for most successful defenses of the World Tag Team Championship by making their eighth defense against Yuma and Atsuki Aoyagi. They lost the titles to Kento Miyahara and Yuma Aoyagi on March 9.
Overseas excursion (2022)[]
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. 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).
Personal life[]
Jun and Rei are of American descent on their father's side, with their father being American and their mother being Japanese. They had credited Kento Miyahara, Suwama and Shuji Ishikawa as their main inspirations.
In wrestling[]
- Double-team finishing moves
- Doom (Doomesday Device)
- Saito Iginari Smash (Aided Chokeslam)
- Rei's Finishing moves
- Chokeslam
- Diving Body Slam
- Eisbein (Knockout left-handed jab)
- Rei's Signature moves
- Backdrop
- Big boot
- Brainbuster, sometimes while avalanching
- Clothesline
- Drill-a-hole piledriver
- Diving Body Press
- Multiple strike variations
- Back elbow
- Chop smash
- Elbow
- Knifehand chop
- Slap
- Powerbomb
- Powerslam
- Shoulder tackle
- Spear
- Jun's Finishing moves
- Piledriver
- Psycho Break (Cobra clutch slam)
- Psycho Dream (Seated inverted Cobra clutch)
- Jun's Signature moves
- Backdrop
- Big boot
- Brainbuster, sometimes while avalanching
- Chokeslam
- Lariat
- Multiple strike variations
- Back elbow
- Chop smash
- Elbow
- Horizontal chop
- Slap
- Powerbomb
- Powerslam
- Shoulder tackle
- Spear
- Entrance themes
- "Majestic Vow" by Osamu Suzuki
- "Dream Warriors" by Dokken