Kawada was, as many of the older Japanese wrestlers were, a decorated amateur wrestler in his school years. He was actually the national high school champion, an accolade he earned after defeating fellow high school wrestling standout Keiichi Yamada, who would go on to become the most revered junior heavyweight in the world as Jushin Thunder Liger.
After graduating the AJPW Dojo under the tutelage of Giant Baba and Genichiro Tenryu, he made his debut in the ring at the tender age of 18, competing against his future tag partner Hiromichi Fuyuki. His early years saw Baba send him overseas for further development, where he wrestled in San Antonio and Montreal before making a stop at the Corral in Calgary, where Stu and Co. changed his name to Kio Kawada, and billed him from Seoul, South Korea. Kawada does not often talk about his time in North America, saying only that he was under some form of undue duress during his time there.
In 1987, long after returning to All Japan, he became a member of Tenryu’s stable “Revolution,” alongside his first opponent Fuyuki, who he soon began to team with under the name “Footloose.” Yes, they did come out to the song. They’d win the All Asia Tag titles three times in a little over a year, before going their separate ways, mainly due to Kawada getting an impromptu bump up the card stemming from Ashura Hara’s expulsion for deep and numerous gambling debts and Kawada subbing in for him in the Strongest Determination Tag League as Tenryu’s partner, where they made it to the finals before losing to Stan Hansen (HEEEWWWWW) and Terry Gordy.
In 1990, Tenryu and a number of other AJPW talent jumped to Tenryu’s new Super World of Sports, Baba bumped Kawada up even further to be the tag partner of Mitsuharu Misawa against Jumbo Tsuruta in what would be Misawa’s star making feud as well as the break out party for the other three of the Four Pillars, as Kawada had an intense rivalry with Tsuruta’s partner Akira Taue as Misawa and Jumbo had a humdinger. The duo would win the World Tag Team titles twice, but 1992 started with the two winning the Strongest Determination, and thus began the rise of Kawada.
He had two matches for the Triple Crown title in 1992 after losing his first in late 1991 to Tsuruta. He faced Stan Hansen and his now-bitter-enemy Misawa in what would be voted the two best matches in all of Japan that year, according to fan votes in Tokyo Sports.
1993 saw him join forces with his former blood enemy Taue after burying the hatchet following a tie in the 1993 Champion Carnival at the request of Baba, as Tsurata had retired and the giant was looking to build the new stable of Japanese heroes to lead his company the way he, Tsurata, and Tenryu had in years past.
The duo were known as the “Holy Demon Army,” which may be the best tag team name next to “The Miracle Violence Connection.” Speak of the devil; The HDA would defeat the MVC in their first match as a team, winning the first of 6 World Tag Team titles. They then defended it successfully against Misawa and Kenta Kobashi in a match that Baba claimed was the best he’d ever seen. The Holy Demon Army would have 9 more matches, with four of them being rated as five stars.
He lost another Triple Crown shot against Misawa, which he’d earned after winning the 1994 Champion Carnival. He defeated Steve Williams in that match, and then defeated him for the Triple Crown, his first. He only had one successful defense, drawing with Kobashi in a match Dave Meltzer calls the greatest hour long draw of all time. He’d lose the title to Stan Hansen (HEEEWWWWW), but would hit another milestone as he pinned Misawa for the first time in late 1995 in one of the 9 matches mentioned earlier.
Baba put Kawada in the doghouse through most of 1996 for questioning why All Japan was so isolationist when New Japan was drawing record crowds in cross promoted shows. He’d come out to win the 1996 Tag League with Taue, defeating Misawa and seemingly getting him back on the golden road.
The HDA would win the 1997 Tag League as well, with that being a bigger win than his back to back victories over Misawa (his first win over Misawa in a singles match) and Kobashi to win his second Champion Carnival, as he didn’t get a Triple Crown shot. That would be rectified in May 1998 when he defeated Misawa for the Triple Crown in the main event of the first AJPW show at the Tokyo Dome, though he’d lose it to Kobashi in his first defense. However, he’d beat Misawa in an almost unpromoted bout on January 22, 1999 to win his third Triple Crown. Kawada broke his arm over Misawa’s head during the match, and he had to vacate the following day. The match also created the Ganso Bomb completely by accident, as Kawada could not lift Misawa for one of his regular powerbombs, and dropped him on his head, creating what may be the most horrifying and dangerous move in all of pro wrestling. It was the last match Giant Baba ever saw, as he watched it from his hospital bed while dying from renal cancer. He called it the best match he’d ever seen, and then passed away 8 days later.
He would not make his true full time return until January 2000, as he injured his eye in August 1999, shortly after his return from the broken arm.
The HDA were the reigning Tag Team champions in June 2000 when Misawa and over 90% of the AJPW talent left for NOAH due to Misawa’s disagreements with Mokoto Baba. Taue, Kobashi, and of course Misawa left to the ark, while Kawada was the only of the Four Pillars to stay, one of only 4 overall, and one of only 2 native Japanese to stay, alongside Masanobu Fuchi.
The titles were vacated, Tenryu returned with the roster of WAR, and AJPW and NJPW began a working agreement. He soon won his fifth Triple Crown and engaged in a 10 defense reign, breaking Misawa’s record of 8, and making 2004 only the second year where the Triple Crown did not change hands, as he became the central stone of All Japan. He defeated such luminaries as Tenryu, Go Shiozaki, and even Mick Foley during his run.
Since 2005, Kawada has bounced around Japan as a freelancer, working on and off with AJPW, such as facing Tayio Kea for the Triple Crown, or joining the heel, Bullet Club-esque VOODOO-MURDERS stable. He’s also made appearances for NOAH, and defeated Shinsuke Nakamura at the 2007 Wrestle Kingdom, representing AJPW.
His NOAH appearances saw him treated as a star, with Kawada trading wins with NOAH star Takeshi Morishima and having a long awaited final rematch with Misawa.
He reunited the Holy Demon Army for one night to defeat Jun Akiyama and KENTA at the Misawa Memorial Show.
His last match to date was at the final show of the 2010 G1 Climax, where he teamed with Tenryu and Tiger Mask to defeat Riki Choshu, Junji Hirata and Akira Nogami.
He’s not officially retired, but he’s since admitted that Misawa’s death made him lose his passion for wrestling, perhaps due to Misawa’s in ring death being brought on by years of stiffness in matches, as Kawada was considered the stiffest wrestler of the Four Pillars.
He’s been seen at Kobashi and Taue’s retirement ceremonies, shaking hands with his former comrades. He did refuse to wrestle at the Taue retirment show, with his opponent presumably being Taue.
Overall, Kawada had 19 five star matches, won the 1991 Tag Team of the Year with Misawa, and was named Wrestler of The Year in 2004 amidst his unstoppable fifth Triple Crown run.
