AJPW star reinstated following traffic accident suspension

All Japan Pro Wrestling star Yuma Aoyagi is getting back into the ring after completing a three-month suspension.

In November 2025, AJPW announced that Aoyagi had been suspended three months with a 50 percent reduction in pay for his role in a traffic accident that occurred after one of the promotion’s events. Aoyagi was not injured in the accident, but someone in the vehicle he struck was treated for a leg injury. It was determined that Aoyagi, who was driving on an expired license, had caused the accident by failing to notice a red light.

The promotion confirmed today that Aoyagi’s suspension and pay reduction were lifted as of March 1. He will return on March 15 for a pre-show match against Hideki Suzuki at Korakuen Hall.

“We deeply apologize for the significant inconvenience caused to those affected by this incident, to the fans who support and cheer for All Japan Pro Wrestling, to our sponsor companies, and to all related parties,” AJPW said in a statement. “Moving forward, we will redouble our efforts to prevent recurrence by providing renewed guidance and education to all our affiliated wrestlers. This includes reinforcing their awareness as professional athletes and ensuring they conduct themselves with discipline as responsible members of society, so as never to betray the trust of those who support All Japan Pro-Wrestling.”

AJPW’s announcement also included a statement from Aoyagi apologizing for the accident.

“I sincerely apologize for the immense trouble caused to the victim, all fans, organizations, sponsors, and everyone involved,” Aoyagi said. “This incident occurred due to my lack of awareness as a professional wrestler and as a member of society, and I deeply regret it.

“Moving forward, I will focus on each task before me and strive to rebuild trust. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all those who have continued to support me, as well as to all related parties, and once again offer my deepest apologies.”

Aoyagi is a former Triple Crown and Tag Team Champion for AJPW.

AJPW star suspended for three months due to traffic accident

AJPW star Yuma Aoyagi has been suspended by the promotion for three months and given a temporary reduction in pay due to his role in a recent traffic accident.

On Wednesday, AJPW held a press conference to address a car accident that Aoyagi was involved in on November 23. It was announced that Aoyagi has been suspended for three months and will have his pay reduced by 50 percent for that same amount of time. The punishments run through February 28, 2026.

The accident happened on Sunday when Aoyagi was driving home after an AJPW event. Failing to notice a red light, Aoyagi drove through and collided with another vehicle. Aoyagi was not injured, but someone in the other car is being treated for a leg injury.

“Yuma was driving home in his personal vehicle around 4:30 p.m. on the 23rd after the All Japan Pro Wrestling event in Numazu when he failed to notice a red light at an intersection in Numazu City and proceeded straight through,” Tokyo Sports wrote. “He collided with a vehicle traveling straight from the right, causing the accident. The accident damaged the right side of Yuma’s vehicle and damaged the bumper and lights of the other vehicle involved in the collision. Yuma was uninjured, but one of the two occupants of the other vehicle is currently undergoing examination at a hospital due to leg discomfort.”

It was found that Aoyagi’s license had been expired for almost a year. In response, AJPW has checked the license expiration dates of all wrestlers and staff and issued a warning about driving safely.

Aoyagi — a former Triple Crown and Tag Team Champion for AJPW — attended today’s press conference and issued an apology to the victim, AJPW fans, and all involved parties.

Due to Aoyagi’s suspension, he and Yuma Anzai will forfeit all of their remaining matches in the AJPW Real World Tag League 2025 tournament.

Wrestling Observer Live: G1, WWE SmackDown, Mark Henry

Note: This show is from Saturday.

It’s time for Wrestling Observer Live Saturday and it’s a packed show.

This year has been one of the best G1 Climaxes in years. The finals are set and for the first time since 2019, there will be a first time winner.

All Japan has a new Triple Crown Champion, Roman Reigns gets laid out by Solo Sikoa’s Bloodline on SmackDown. Plus, Mark Henry’s comments on Vince McMahon’s alleged victims and tough times.

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New Triple Crown Champion crowned at AJPW Champions Night

Jake Lee won the vacant Triple Crown championship at this morning’s 2021 Champions Night event at the Ota Ward General Gymnasium.

The rules of the match had Kento Miyahara (PWF World Heavyweight Championship), Yuma Aoyagi (NWA United National Championship), and Jake Lee (NWA International Championship) represent the three different titles that the Triple Crown title is comprised of. The first person that pinned both opponents in a gauntlet-style format would become the new champion. Miyahara picked up the first pinfall, pinning Aoyagi with the German suplex hold. Lee then entered the match and got the win over Miyahara with a back suplex, then pinned Aoyagi, giving him the two wins needed to win the match and the Triple Crown title for the first time.

The title was vacated on June 20 after former champion Suwama tested positive for COVID-19, pulling himself off of today’s card, where he was scheduled to defend the title against Lee, who won the Champion Carnival tournament earlier the year. Suwama had held the title for 454 days, defeating Miyahara back on March 23, 2020.

AJPW to crown new Triple Crown Champion at Champions Night

All Japan Pro Wrestling has revealed how their next Triple Crown Champion will be decided.

At AJPW’s Champions Night show at Ota Ward Gymnasium in Tokyo this Saturday (June 26), Jake Lee, Kento Miyahara, and Yuma Aoyagi will take part in a three-person battle where they’ll face off in singles matches that will take place one after another. The first wrestler to win two matches in a row will become the new Triple Crown Champion.

A lottery will be held before the show to determine the order of the matches.

Lee, who won this year’s Champion Carnival tournament, was originally set to challenge Suwama for the Triple Crown title at Champions Night. But Suwama had to vacate the title after testing positive for COVID-19. Suwama had held the Triple Crown Championship since winning the title from Miyahara in March 2020.

Miyahara & Aoyagi were scheduled to defend their AJPW World Tag Team titles against Koji Doi & Kuma Arashi at Champions Night, but that match has been postponed due to Miyahara and Aoyagi both being in the Triple Crown Championship match. Doi & Arashi will now face Ryuki Honda & Shotaro Ashino in a tag match at the show.

Lee and Aoyagi have both never held the Triple Crown Championship previously. Miyahara is a four-time former champion.

AJPW announces participants for the 2021 Champion Carnival

AJPW has announced the participants for this year’s Champion Carnival tournament.

During this evening’s show at Korakuen Hall, the company announced the ten participants for this year’s tournament: 

  • AJPW Triple Crown Champion Suwama
  • Zeus
  • Kento Miyahara
  • Shuji Ishikawa
  • Jake Lee
  • Yuma Aoyagi
  • Shotaro Ashino
  • Koji Doi
  • Kohei Sato
  • Shinjiro Otani

Zeus won last year’s tournament, pinning Miyahara in the finals. That tournament, originally scheduled to take place last April, was delayed to October due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s tournament will start on April 9 in Osaka and will conclude on May 3, with the finals taking place at Korakuen Hall. The dates for this year’s tournament are as follows:

  • April 9th in Osaka
  • April 10th in Nagoya
  • April 11th in Niigata
  • April 17th in Shinkiba
  • April 18th in Chiba
  • April 24th in Shinkiba
  • April 25th in Korakuen Hall
  • April 28th in Hodogaya
  • April 29th in Korakuen Hall
  • May 3rd in Korakuen Hall