Suwama Blames AJPW Triple Crown Champion Katsuhiko Nakajima For Slow March 30th Event Ticket Sales

The All Japan Pro-Wrestling Dream Power Series 2024 Finale event is scheduled for March 30th at the Ota City General Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan. The eight match event features four title bouts and is headlined with a Triple Crown Title match as the champion Katsuhiko Nakajima makes his fifth defense against Yuma Anzai. Also on the card will be the AJPW World Tag Team Champions Suwama & Hideki Suzuki defending their titles against former champions Jun & Rei Saito.

During a press conference on March 22nd, Nakajima suggested that Anzai isn’t a credible threat to take his title and stated that he will win in eight minutes. Nakajima said to make things interesting, he should defend the Triple Crown Title twice on March 30th and mentioned Suwama as a potential second challlenger. In a report from Tokyo Sports, Nakajima spoke of the slow ticket sales and suggested that the Dream Power Series 2024 show on March 30th is not sold out because the main event is “not interesting” due to his challenger being Anzai. Nakajima reiterated that he wants to defend the title twice on March 30th, once against Anzai and once against Suwama.

Suwama, who was in attendance at the press conference, weighed in and didn’t hold back on Nakajima’s claim that Anzai is the reason the event has not sold out. Suwama, who is an Executive Officer for AJPW, laid the blame squarely on Nakajima.

Ticket sales are determined by who the champion is. You should take the fans’ evaluation of you more seriously. Everyone, including me, has experienced that kind of thing. The lack of appeal of the champion is showing in the results.

Suwama translated from Tokyo Sports via Deepl

Suwama stated that he “no interest” in facing an “unpopular champion” on March 30th in reference to Nakajima.

This verbal attack by Suwama on Nakajima could very well be planting the seeds for a future showdown between the two.

You can follow Lewis Carlan on Twitter @ShootingUpNorth 

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