AJPW Nettou Summer Action Wars 2024 - Sendai: WrestleFile Historical Verdict

Keeping the Triple Crown on Anzai is the right centerpiece. Rei Saito had enough momentum to feel credible, but Anzai’s reign still needed defenses that showed he could survive different heavyweight styles. Letting Rei control large portions of the match before Anzai finds a way back protects the challenger while reinforcing the champion’s resilience.

Ayabe pinning Hikaru Sato in the six-man is another useful result because it spreads value through ELPIDA rather than making every important finish belong to Anzai. The contemporary review also noted the tension between Miyahara and Suwama, so the match advances more than one summer thread at the same time.

The World Junior finish is less satisfying. Doi beating MUSASHI with a sudden cradle keeps the title on the champion, but the review found little narrative support for the surprise finish. The match does not damage either wrestler, yet it does less to elevate the championship than a more developed closing sequence might have done.

Jun Saito beating Smith works as positioning, especially with Rei challenging in the final match, but the bout itself never reaches the intensity implied by the names. The result keeps Jun strong; the execution leaves the double-main-event branding feeling slightly oversized.

An announced 1,503 at Sendai Sunplaza Hall gives the event one of the larger regional crowds in this stretch of AJPW’s 2024 calendar. The building and attendance make the double-main-event format feel more substantial than a routine touring stop even when the match quality underneath it is inconsistent.

The event is arranged around escalation rather than volume. Two lighter undercard tags open, Doi-MUSASHI provides the first championship match, the ELPIDA six-man reconnects the company’s faction direction, and the final two heavyweight singles bouts carry the marquee billing. That structure is easy to follow and keeps the title defense in the most important position.

ProWresBlog’s review is useful because it does not overstate the card. The opener is described as one-sided and quiet, the ten-man tag as unserious, Doi-MUSASHI as ordinary, and Smith-Jun as average. The six-man earns a mild positive, while Anzai-Rei is the only match the reviewer clearly recommends. WrestleFile’s overall grade follows that distribution rather than treating attendance or championship branding as proof of a stronger show.

The official AJPW page links to All Japan Pro Wrestling TV as the archive destination. WrestleFile keeps current event-specific availability unclaimed because a stable direct watch URL and present access terms were not independently verified. Historical distribution and present-day availability are therefore recorded separately.

Anzai-Rei is the lasting result. Rei’s performance establishes him as a credible Triple Crown challenger in his own right, while Anzai adds another substantial defense to a reign built around proving he belongs above the older generation and the Saito Brothers alike. The post-match Aoyagi challenge immediately turns that defense into the setup for the next title chapter.

Jun Saito’s win over Smith is a smaller but relevant marker. The Saito Brothers continue to accumulate singles credibility alongside their tag-team identity, and Jun beating an established international heavyweight helps maintain that trajectory even though the match itself is not among his best.

Ayabe’s fall over Sato keeps ELPIDA’s supporting members involved in the promotion’s upward movement. This matters historically because the unit is still new; results like this show that the group’s push is not limited to Anzai’s Triple Crown reign.

The World Junior title stays with Doi, preserving his summer championship run through another challenger. The flash finish may not age as a match highlight, but it keeps Doi in place for the next cycle without interrupting the division’s continuity.

For WrestleFile chronology, Sendai bridges the July Summer Action material and the later August Nettou Summer Action Wars stops. It is not a top-tier event in isolation, but it documents the title picture clearly: Anzai survives Rei, Aoyagi moves into position, Doi remains junior champion and the Saito Brothers continue gaining singles traction.