(born July 17, 1978) is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working under the
ring name
A ring name is a type of stage name used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons, or projecting ...
. He is a two-time holder of the
Gaora TV Championship
The is a professional wrestling championship owned by the All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) promotion. On August 28, 2012, AJPW and Gaora TV announced that AJPW would introduce a new championship called the Gaora TV Championship. A tournament for t ...
. He is best known for his work in
All Japan Pro Wrestling
(AJPW/AJP) or simply All Japan is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established on October 21, 1972 when Giant Baba split away from the Japanese Wrestling Association and created his own promotion. Many wrestlers had left with Baba, ...
(AJPW) under the ring name and is also known for working in North America for the
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Impact Wrestling (stylized as ''IMPACT! Wrestling''), is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment.
Founded by Jeff and Jerry Jarrett in 2002, the promot ...
promotion under the ring names Kiyoshi and
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...
.
Early life
Akira Kawabata was born on July 17, 1978 in Takarazuka, Hyōgo.
Professional wrestling career
Early career
Trained by former junior heavyweight contender Masanobu Kurisu, Kawabata made his debut in 1998, using the ring name Akira Raijin, working primarily on the Japanese independent circuit.
All Japan Pro Wrestling (2004–2010)
On August 28, 2004, Raijin debuted for
All Japan Pro Wrestling
(AJPW/AJP) or simply All Japan is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established on October 21, 1972 when Giant Baba split away from the Japanese Wrestling Association and created his own promotion. Many wrestlers had left with Baba, ...
losing to
Ryuji Hijikata
(born May 17, 1978) is a Japanese professional wrestler also known under the ring name . Hijikata is best known for his tenure in Battlarts and All Japan Pro Wrestling since 2002 where he is a former World Junior Heavyweight Champion.
Professi ...
. His early years with All Japan would be mostly uneventful which is normal for a new wrestler in a Japanese promotion. On June 17, 2005, Raijin teamed with
Nobukazu Hirai
Nobukazu Hirai (born December 30, 1969) is a Japanese professional wrestler best known for competing in All Japan Pro Wrestling. He is the son of former Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance wrestler Mitsu Hirai.
Professional wrestling career Super World ...
in a tournament to determine the number one conders for the
All Asia Tag Team Championship
The is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW). It was created on November 16, 1955, in the Japan Wrestling Association (JWA) when King Kong Czaya and Tiger Joginder Singh defeated JWA founder ...
but lost to
Katsuhiko Nakajima
is a Japanese professional wrestler, signed to Pro Wrestling Noah. He started his career in Riki Choshu's Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling (WJ) promotion before heading to Kensuke Sasaki's Kensuke Office/Diamond Ring dojo and promotion. He ...
and
Tomoaki Honma
is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). In NJPW, he is a former one-time IWGP Tag Team Champion and a two-time World Tag League winner with Togi Makabe.
Professional wrestling career
Big Japa ...
. In November, Raijin and
Kohei Suwama
is a Japanese professional wrestler better known simply as . He is best known for his work in All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is a former record eight-time Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion and a seven-time World Tag Team Champion. He is also ...
participated in the 2005 Real World Tag League but would not pass the round robin stage. On January 4, 2007, Raijin along with
Kikutaro
(born November 17, 1976), better known as his wrestling persona and formerly , is a freelance Japanese professional wrestler. Though best known for wrestling under a mask, he also regularly works unmasked under the ring name Kikuzawa (stylized ...
and Nobutaka Araya took on, and lost to,
El Samurai
Satyam Kumar (born 06 August 1997), known professionally as Technical Satyam, is an Indian YouTube personality based in the UAE. Chaudhary is notable for producing YouTube videos concerning graphics and technology in English and Hindi. In 2020, ...
,
Masanobu Fuchi
is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), where he is also a director and the co-head booker. Fuchi has exclusively worked for All Japan since his debut in 1974, and holds the record for the longest ...
and
Ryusuke Taguchi
is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently performing for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is a former two-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, seven-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion and three-time NEVER Op ...
at
New Japan Pro-Wrestling
(NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority shares ...
's Wrestle Kingdom in Tokyo Dome. On May 13, All Japan said farewell to Raijin along with Brute Issei, who both went on overseas training excursions.
Raijin returned to All Japan on June 22, 2008, but just three months later it was announced that he would be travelling back to North America, to work for
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Impact Wrestling (stylized as ''IMPACT! Wrestling''), is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment.
Founded by Jeff and Jerry Jarrett in 2002, the promot ...
(TNA), who had signed him to a contract. On October 11 Raijin lost to Suwama in his All Japan farewell match.
On September 13, 2009, Raijin made a one-night return to All Japan, teaming up with Great Muta in a winning effort against Suwama and
Shuji Kondo
is a Japanese professional wrestler. Prior to becoming a pro wrestler, he played rugby. After starting his career in Toryumon, Kondo eventually joined All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), where he became one of the promotion's top junior heavyweigh ...
.
On March 21, 2010, Raijin made another return to All Japan, now using his TNA ring name Kiyoshi, he teamed up with Bushi to defeat the tag team of Chessman and
Dark Ozz
Marcos Tinajero (born January 30, 1975) is a Mexican Luchador (wrestler) who is known under the names Ozz / Dark Ozz, a Face character (referred to as a "Tecnico" in Lucha Libre) that works for Lucha Libre Elite. Best known for his work in Lucha L ...
. On April 3 Kiyoshi entered All Japan's 2010
Champion Carnival
The is a professional wrestling tournament held by All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW). The tournament is also known by the nickname and is sometimes abbreviated to CC. Created by AJPW founder Giant Baba, the tournament has been held annually since ...
. He defeated
René Duprée
René Emile Goguen (born December 15, 1983), better known by his ring name René Duprée (; ja, レネ・デュプリ, Rene Dyupuri) is a Canadian Professional wrestling, professional wrestler currently signed to Pro Wrestling Noah where he is a ...
and Suwama, but lost to
Taiyō Kea
Maunakea Mossman (born November 18, 1975) is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, better known under his stage name . He is the only wrestler to have held the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship, the World Tag Team Championship and t ...
and
Masakatsu Funaki
is a Japanese actor, mixed martial artist and professional wrestler known professionally as , who has previously wrestled in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi (PWFG), Newborn UWF (UWF), ...
in the round robin stage of the tournament, finished third in his block and did not advance to the semifinals. On April 11, the final night of the tournament, Kiyoshi teamed with
Satoshi Kojima
is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, but makes appearances for Pro Wrestling Noah. Considered to be one of the greatest Japanese professional wrestlers of the 21st century and of all-time, he was the first wrest ...
to defeat Gurentai (
Nosawa Rongai
, better known by his ring names Nosawa and , (born December 17, 1976) is a Japanese freelance professional wrestler, best known for his appearances in All Japan Pro Wrestling and various independent promotions.
Career Early career (19952004)
Nos ...
and Taiyō Kea) in a tag team match.
North American independent circuit (2007–2012)
Raijin left Japan to live in
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, on the south bank of the Detroit River directly across from Detroit, Michigan, United States. Geographically located within but administratively independent of Essex County, it is the souther ...
, Canada with
Scott D'Amore
Scott Francis D'Amore (born August 8, 1974) is a Canadian retired professional wrestler, manager, promoter, booker and entrepreneur. He is the current Executive Vice President of Impact Wrestling, where he also worked from 2003 to 2010 as an on- ...
to gain "learning experience" in
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
. Raijin would go on to work for various promotions within Canada and eventually branched off into the United States. Raijin wrestled for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, teaming with Brute Issei and losing to Havok and
Martyr
A martyr (, ''mártys'', "witness", or , ''marturia'', stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an externa ...
in a tryout
dark match
Professional wrestling has accrued a considerable amount of jargon throughout its existence. Much of it stems from the industry's origins in the days of carnivals and circuses. In the past, professional wrestlers used such terms in the presence ...
pay-per-view
Pay-per-view (PPV) is a type of pay television or webcast service that enables a viewer to pay to watch individual events via private telecast.
Events can be purchased through a multichannel television platform using their electronic program guid ...
. On August 12, 2007, Raijin appeared at
Juggalo Championship Wrestling
Juggalo Championship Wrestling (formerly Juggalo Championshit Wrestling) is an American independent professional wrestling promotion founded in 1999 by Violent J (Joseph Bruce) and Shaggy 2 Dope (Joseph Utsler), better known as the hip-hop duo In ...
's premier show, '' Bloodymania''. He teamed with Brute Issei in the 8 Team
Tag Team Elimination match
Much like the singles match, tag team professional wrestling matches can and have taken many forms. Just about any singles or melee match type can be adapted to tag teams; for example, hardcore tag team matches are commonplace. Tag team ladder ma ...
for the
JCW Tag Team Championship
The JCW Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team championship in Juggalo Championship Wrestling. Twelve teams, comprising a total of twenty-five wrestlers, have held the JCW Tag Team Championship, combining for a total of twenty ...
, becoming the fifth team eliminated in the match. On August 18, at Chikara, Raijin took on
Mike Quackenbush
Michael Spillane (born March 18, 1976), is an American podcaster, author, professional wrestling trainer, professional wrestling promoter, and retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Mike Quackenbush.
He has hosted several p ...
in a losing effort for the
NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship
The NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Created in 1945, the title is competed for by junior heavyweight wrestlers.
History
The first NWA World Junior ...
. On April 23, 2008, Raijin took part in JCW's " Slam TV Tour 2008". He debuted as Kowabata, being managed by "The Guidance Counselor"
Scott D'Amore
Scott Francis D'Amore (born August 8, 1974) is a Canadian retired professional wrestler, manager, promoter, booker and entrepreneur. He is the current Executive Vice President of Impact Wrestling, where he also worked from 2003 to 2010 as an on- ...
. After a series of singles victories, Kowabata was put into a stable alongside Scott D'Amore and Conrad "Lights Out" Kennedy. D'Amore proclaimed that the team of Kowabata and Kennedy would reform JCW. At the following show, Kowabata and Kennedy defeated fan favorites The Ring Rydas. Raijin took part in two
BSE Pro
BSE Pro (Formerly Blood Sweat and Ears) (or BSE Wrestling) was a Canadian independent professional wrestling organization, founded in 2005. It held 10-12 events a year in the Greater Toronto Area, as well as quarterly tours to Northern Ontario ci ...
tournaments which included Adrenaline Cup and the Sudbury Scramble Cup, both of which he did not win. Kowabata was set to appear at the 2008 ''Hallowicked After Party'', but was signed to TNA weeks prior to the event, resulting in him having to cancel the appearance.
While part of TNA, Raijin continued to wrestle on the independent circuit. On December 20, Kowabata took on JCW Heavyweight Champion
Corporal Robinson
Stephen Robinson, known by the ring name Corporal Robinson, is an American professional wrestler best known for his hardcore wrestling style, Robinson has wrestled for various wrestling promotions, including Juggalo Championship Wrestling, Combat ...
at ''Big Ballas X–Mas Party '08'' in a losing effort. Raijin would mostly appear for
Border City Wrestling
Border City Wrestling (BCW) is an independent professional wrestling promotion owned and booked by Scott D'Amore, and based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
Many of the promotion's employees were trained at the ''Can-Am'' wrestling school. After ...
and even had a shot at the
BCW Can-Am Heavyweight Championship
The BCW Can-Am Heavyweight Championship is the top title contested for in the Ontario-based professional wrestling promotion Border City Wrestling.
On March 18, 2010 the BCW Can-Am Championship was unified with the BSE Pro and Neo Spirit Pro-Wre ...
which he lost. On March 13, 2010, Raijin took on
Kevin Steen
Kevin Steen (born May 7, 1984) is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Kevin Owens.
Steen began his career in 2000, at the age of 16. Prior to joining WWE in la ...
for the Capital City Championship Combat Championship and lost. Raijin, as Kowabata, returned to JCW on May 4, 2011, at the
St. Andrews Brawl
St. Andrews Brawl was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by Juggalo Championship Wrestling (JCW), which was only available online. It took place on May 4, 2011 at St. Andrews Hall in Detroit, Michigan. Professional wrest ...
internet pay-per-view, where he defeated Bill Martel in a singles match. At the June 30 pay-per-view Kawabata defeated
Jimmy Jacobs
Christopher Scoville (born February 17, 1984) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Jimmy Jacobs. He was recently signed to Impact Wrestling as a member of the creative team and producer. He is best known for his 1 ...
in a singles match. His final match in North America came on January 28, 2012, when he lost to
Josh Alexander
Joshua Lemay (born May 29, 1987) is a Canadian professional wrestler currently signed to Impact Wrestling, where he performs under the ring name Josh Alexander. He is a two-time Impact World Champion, with his second reign being the longest reig ...
at Squared Circle Wrestling (2CW).
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (20082011)
In the later half of 2008, Kawabata signed a two-year deal with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling after an appearance on
Border City Wrestling
Border City Wrestling (BCW) is an independent professional wrestling promotion owned and booked by Scott D'Amore, and based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
Many of the promotion's employees were trained at the ''Can-Am'' wrestling school. After ...
's (BCW) 15th anniversary show. He was given a heel
gimmick
A gimmick is a novel device or idea designed primarily to attract attention or increase appeal, often with little intrinsic value. When applied to retail marketing, it is a unique or quirky feature designed to make a product or service "stand ou ...
, Kiyoshi, which resembled his mentor Great Muta, together with similar
face paint
Body painting is a form of body art where artwork is painted directly onto the human skin. Unlike tattoos and other forms of body art, body painting is temporary, lasting several hours or sometimes up to a few weeks (in the case of mehndi or "h ...
and
mannerisms
Mannerism, which may also be known as Late Renaissance, is a Style (visual arts), style in European art that emerged in the later years of the Italian High Renaissance around 1520, spreading by about 1530 and lasting until about the end of the 1 ...
. In his debut match on December 18, 2008, he defeated
Consequences Creed
Austin Watson (born September 4, 1986) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Xavier Woods. He appeared on WWE's NXT brand as one-half of the current NXT Tag ...
with a
moonsault
A moonsault, moonsault press, or back flip splash is a professional wrestling aerial technique. It was innovated by Mando Guerrero. Much of its popularity in both Japanese and American wrestling is attributed to The Great Muta, despite it being u ...
to advance to the semifinals in a tournament for the vacant
TNA X Division Championship
The Impact X Division Championship is a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by Impact Wrestling. It debuted on June 19, 2002, at the taping of then-TNA's second weekly pay-per-view (PPV) event. The current champion is Trey M ...
. On December 25, he lost to
Chris Sabin
Joshua Harter (born February 4, 1982), better known by his ring name Chris Sabin, is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to Impact Wrestling, and is also known for his work in Ring of Honor.
After being trained by Scott D ...
, failing to advance into the finals of the tournament.
On the March 5, 2009 episode of ''
TNA Impact!
''Impact!'' (stylized as ''IMPACT!''), also known as ''IMPACT! on AXS TV'',
is an American professional wrestling television program produced by the American promotion Impact Wrestling (formerly known as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA)) tha ...
'', Kiyoshi, accompanied by the tag team
No Limit
No Limit may refer to:
Music Record labels
*No Limit Records, a record label founded by Master P
* No Limit Forever Records, a record label founded by Romeo Miller, son of Master P
Albums
* ''No Limit'' (Art Pepper album), 1977
* ''No Limit'' ...
TNA X Division Champion
The Impact X Division Championship is a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by Impact Wrestling. It debuted on June 19, 2002, at the taping of then-TNA's second weekly pay-per-view (PPV) event. The current champion is Trey M ...
Alex Shelley
Patrick Kenneth Martin (born May 23, 1983) is an American professional wrestler and physical therapy clinician, better known by the ring name, Alex Shelley, makes appearances with Impact Wrestling (formerly known as Total Nonstop Action Wrestl ...
in a match for the title. On the March 14 edition of ''
TNA Xplosion
''Xplosion'' was a professional wrestling television program that was produced by the Impact Wrestling promotion. Launched in 2002, the show featured highlights from Impact's flagship television program, exclusive taped matches, and other conte ...
'', Kiyoshi defeated
Shark Boy
Dean Matthew Roll (born January 28, 1975) is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) under the ring name Shark Boy. Prior to his appearances in TNA, Roll competed on the independen ...
with his signature Lightning Flash. On the March 26, 2009 episode of ''Impact!'', Kiyoshi, accompanied by the tag team of No Limit, unsuccessfully challenged
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...
for the
TNA X Division Championship
The Impact X Division Championship is a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by Impact Wrestling. It debuted on June 19, 2002, at the taping of then-TNA's second weekly pay-per-view (PPV) event. The current champion is Trey M ...
. Kiyoshi and No Limit then aligned themselves with Sheik Abdul Bashir.
After No Limit left the company in May 2009, the duo of Kiyoshi and Bashir went on to form an alliance with
The British Invasion
The British Invasion was a cultural phenomenon of the mid-1960s, when rock and pop music acts from the United Kingdom and other aspects of British culture became popular in the United States and significant to the rising "counterculture" on ...
Rob Terry
Robert Terry (born 30 April 1980) is a Welsh bodybuilder and a former professional wrestler. He is known for his work in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) under the ring names Rob Terry and The Freak.
He is also known for his work in TNA ...
World Elite
The World Elite was a villainous professional wrestling alliance in the American promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). The group consisted of multicultural wrestlers, representing various countries around the world. Created by Canadi ...
''. The members represented anti–American faction of countries, with Williams, Magnus and Terry representing Great Britain, Bashir representing Iran, Young representing Canada, Kiyoshi representing Japan and
Homicide
Homicide occurs when a person kills another person. A homicide requires only a volitional act or omission that causes the death of another, and thus a homicide may result from accidental, reckless, or negligent acts even if there is no inten ...
, who joined the group later, representing Puerto Rico. During the summer of 2009, Kiyoshi gradually faded out his Great Muta look and debuted a new look, complete with new ring attire and altered hair style. The World Elite split in early 2010, with Kiyoshi wrestled his last match so far for TNA on February 16, 2010, in an X Division three-way match, taped for ''Xplosion'', where he and Homicide were defeated by
Amazing Red
Jonathan Figueroa (born April 26, 1982), better known by his ring name Amazing Red, is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler and promoter. He is best known for working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), where he is a former three-time ...
. Kawabata spent the next four months wrestling part-time in Japan for All Japan Pro Wrestling.
Kawabata returned to TNA on June 14, 2010, now under a mask portraying the
face
The face is the front of an animal's head that features the eyes, nose and mouth, and through which animals express many of their emotions. The face is crucial for human identity, and damage such as scarring or developmental deformities may aff ...
character of
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...
, losing to Magnus in a match taped for ''Xplosion''. At the July 12 tapings of ''Xplosion'', Kawabata picked up his first victory as Suicide, defeating Eric Young.
After Kawabata's original two–year contract with TNA expired, it was announced on September 28, 2010, that he had signed a two–year contract extension with the promotion. On the October 8, 2010, edition of ''Xplosion'' Kawabata returned without the Suicide gimmick, working as Kiyoshi and forming a new tag team with compatriot
Okada Okada (written: 岡田 literally "hill rice-paddy") is a Japanese surname. Notable people with the name include:
* , Japanese painter
* Doris Okada Matsui, American politician of the Democratic Party
* , Japanese painter in the Edo period
* , Japa ...
. They were defeated in their first match together by
Ink Inc.
Ink Inc. was a professional wrestling stable, consisting of Shannon Moore, Jesse Neal, and their valet Toxxin, in the professional wrestling promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).
History
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2010–2011)
...
(
Jesse Neal
Jesse Neal (born April 10, 1980) Profightdb.com. Retrieved on August 5, 2010. is an American
Shannon Moore
Shannon Moore (born July 27, 1979) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his work with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) between 1999 and 2001 and with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) for several years in the 2000s. H ...
). On October 13, Suicide's profile was removed from TNA's official website, seemingly signaling the end of the gimmick. Kiyoshi and Okada had a rematch with Ink Inc. at the December 7 tapings of ''Xplosion'', but were once again defeated. Shortly afterwards, Kiyoshi's profile was also removed from TNA's official website.
Return to AJPW (2012–2017)
On February 29, 2012, All Japan Pro Wrestling announced that Raijin would be returning to the promotion from his American excursion on March 20. In his return match, Raijin teamed with
Kaz Hayashi
is a Japanese professional wrestler known simply as . He is best known for his work in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), where in addition to being a wrestler for the promotion, he also served as the head booker for the company's junior heavyweight ...
and Minoru Tanaka in a losing effort against the team of Gillette,
Hiroshi Yamato
, better known by his ring name , is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works as a freelancer. Trained by the All Japan Pro Wrestling promotion, he started his career in February 2007 working in Mexico for the International Wrestling ...
and Kai, with Gillette pinning Raijin for the win. On April 1, Kawabata debuted as the masked character Sushi, when he entered the 2012 Junior Tag League alongside Bushi. Sushi and Bushi made it all the way to the finals of the tournament on April 14, where they were defeated by Kaz Hayashi and Shuji Kondo. In July, Sushi took part in the 2012 Junior Hyper League, where he finished with a record of three wins and two losses, failing to advance from his round-robin block. Following Bushi's departure from All Japan, Sushi formed a new partnership with rookie
Andy Wu
is a Japanese professional wrestler better known by his ring name who worked for Wrestle-1 until its closure in 2020. He is currently a freelancer.
Professional wrestling career
All Japan Pro Wrestling (2012–2013)
Andy Wu debuted for All Ja ...
, with the two taking part in the Junior Hyper Tag League in early 2013, where they failed to advance to the finals. On April 26, Kawabata as Sushi received his first shot at the World Junior Heavyweight Championship, but was defeated by the defending champion
Yoshinobu Kanemaru
is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, where he also works as a backstage producer. Kanemaru is best known for his work in Pro Wrestling Noah, where he holds the records for the most reigns with the GHC ...
. Sushi re-entered the title picture on October 12 by pinning Kanemaru in a six-man tag team main event. Sushi received his title shot on October 27, but was again defeated by Kanemaru.
Afterwards, Sushi began petitioning for All Japan to restore the
Gaora TV Championship
The is a professional wrestling championship owned by the All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) promotion. On August 28, 2012, AJPW and Gaora TV announced that AJPW would introduce a new championship called the Gaora TV Championship. A tournament for t ...
, which had been quietly sidelined earlier in the year. After its restoration, Sushi entered a four-man tournament for the vacant title, defeating
Hikaru Sato
is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist, better known by the ring name . Sato started his MMA career in February 2000, fighting for Pancrase Hybrid Wrestling. During the next eight years, Sato fought, on average, five time ...
in his semifinal match on November 21. Three days later, Sushi defeated
Dramatic Dream Team
is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Its name stands for Dramatic Dream Team, which was the promotion's official name from 1997 to 2004. Founded in March 1997 by Shintaro Muto, the promotion was eventually bo ...
(DDT) representative
Keisuke Ishii
is a Japanese professional wrestler trained by and signed to DDT Pro-Wrestling (DDT). Ishii also competes for All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), where he is a former World Junior Heavyweight Champion.
Professional wrestling career
DDT (2008–pr ...
in the finals to win the tournament and become the third Gaora TV Champion. Sushi made his first successful title defense on January 3, 2014, against another DDT representative, Soma Takao. On February 23, Sushi, alongside Menso~re Oyaji, received his first shot at the All Asia Tag Team Championship. The two were, however, defeated by the defending champions,
Burning
Combustion, or burning, is a high-temperature exothermic redox chemical reaction between a fuel (the reductant) and an oxidant, usually atmospheric oxygen, that produces oxidized, often gaseous products, in a mixture termed as smoke. Combusti ...
(
Jun Akiyama
is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to DDT Pro-Wrestling, where he is a former KO-D Openweight Champion. He is best known for his time working for All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), where he was the president, representative director, co-he ...
and Yoshinobu Kanemaru). On May 17, Sushi lost the Gaora TV Championship to
Kotaro Suzuki
is a Japanese professional wrestler better known by the ring name . He is currently working as a freelancer, mainly for promotion Pro Wrestling Noah.
Career
Pro Wrestling Noah (2001-2013)
Suzuki was the last person remaining of a grueling t ...
in his second defense. On December 14, Sushi put his mask on the line in a tag team match, where he and "Mr. Christmas" faced
Último Dragón
(born December 12, 1966) is a Japanese professional wrestler and actor, better known as . In addition to having trained in Japan, Asai learned to wrestle in the lucha libre style while working in Mexico. He is credited with popularizing the "Asa ...
and Masked Burning #2. Though Sushi was pinned for the win by Dragón and was per stipulation supposed to unmask himself, Mr. Christmas instead offered to unmask in his place, revealing himself as Jun Akiyama. On June 4, 2015, Sushi defeated
Kenso
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is perhaps best known for his appearances with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and in the United States with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), where he was a one-time WWE Tag Team Champion in the lat ...
to win the Gaora TV Championship for the second time. On August 15, Sushi fractured his jaw in a match, which sidelined him indefinitely and forced him to forfeit the Gaora TV Championship. He made his return to in-ring action on November 1. On January 15, 2017, AJPW announced that Sushi would be leaving the promotion at the end of the month and becoming a
freelancer
''Freelance'' (sometimes spelled ''free-lance'' or ''free lance''), ''freelancer'', or ''freelance worker'', are terms commonly used for a person who is self-employed and not necessarily committed to a particular employer long-term. Freelance w ...
. On January 28, Sushi was defeated by Jun Akiyama in his final AJPW match.
Freelancing (2017–present)
After becoming a freelancer, Kawabata continued working under a mask as Sushi, but also resumed working unmasked as Kiyoshi.
Championships and accomplishments
*
All Japan Pro Wrestling
(AJPW/AJP) or simply All Japan is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established on October 21, 1972 when Giant Baba split away from the Japanese Wrestling Association and created his own promotion. Many wrestlers had left with Baba, ...
**
Gaora TV Championship
The is a professional wrestling championship owned by the All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) promotion. On August 28, 2012, AJPW and Gaora TV announced that AJPW would introduce a new championship called the Gaora TV Championship. A tournament for t ...
(
2 times
"2 Times" is a song co-written and recorded by British Italian-based singer Ann Lee. It was released in 1999 as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999). The single entered and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Outside ...
)
**Gaora TV Championship Tournament (2013)
*Championship International Wrestling
**CIW United States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
*UPW Pro Wrestling
**UPW Alternative Championship (1 time)
*''
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publish ...
''
**PWI ranked him #151 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the
PWI 500
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publishi ...