(NOAH/ALL JAPAN) "Mr. All Japan" referee Kyohei Wada's final dream is to return to the ring where he made a promise with Mitsuharu Misawa

July 7th 2025

Proresu Today

July 7th is Tanabata*. On this day in 1982, Giant Baba and his wife Motoko announced their marriage. "How romantic to announce their marriage on Tanabata," said the young female fans at the time, their eyes shining with excitement. 

Referee Wada Kyohei, known as "Mr. All Japan," who served as a close aide to Baba and his wife for many years and was with them until their deaths*, said his final dream was to fulfill a promise he made to Mitsuharu Misawa. 

Kyohei*, who participated as a member of ring staff from the beginning of All Japan Pro Wrestling in 1972, began working as a referee in 1974. He is a living witness to All Japan, along with Masanobu Fuchi. He is a man who protected All Japan even when wrestlers he was close to from SWS, Noah, WRESTLE-1, etc. left. It is surprising that he said, "I want to become a referee for Noah and judge matches in their ring" 

In fact, he wants to keep the promise he made with Misawa, who left All Japan and founded Noah.

When Misawa was preparing to launch a new group in 2000, he was alone with Misawa at a hotel in Osaka. "Misawa started to talk about it, and I told him not to do it in front of me," he recalled. Kyohei was the trusted adviser to Motoko, who became the owner of All Japan after Baba's death, and once he found out about it he had to report it to her. Misawa nodded and said, "I understand. Please protect Motoko, Kyohei." Kyohei was close not only with the Baba's, but also with Misawa. Kyohei's refereeing was the foundation of The Four Pillars of Wrestling, Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada, Akira Taue and Kenta Kobashi, who created an era. It was a difficult decision, but he fully understood Misawa's feelings. 

At that time, Kyohei and Misawa made a promise. Misawa will prepare a desk for Kyohei at Noah, and Kyohei will come to Noah, and one day he will be a referee there. Although the two parted ways, on July 18, 2004, Misawa stepped onto the All Japan mat for the first time in four years at All Japan's Ryogoku Kokugikan show in Tokyo, Kyohei was the referee for that match, and the two shook hands before the bell. The crowd erupted in cheers. Athletes and referees sometimes exchange words, but it is rare for them to shake hands. 

Kyohei recalls, "There were people who said various things at the time, but between Misawa and me, it meant, "Next time, we'll do it in Noah's ring. We'll keep our promise on that night in Osaka." He added quietly, "But before I could fulfill my promise, Misawa passed away." From time to time, he remembers his exchanges with Misawa. This is especially true on the anniversary of Misawa's death, June 13th. "Whenever Misawa comes up in conversation, it becomes unbearable," he said, choking up. 

Sixteen years have passed since Misawa passed away. Kyohei is now seventy years old, and his nimble refereeing skills are still there, but he feels the effects of aging, saying, "I can't move like I used to." Of course, he will retire from All Japan. But before that, he will temporarily transfer to Noah and become a referee affiliated with the promotion created by Misawa. Kyohei blushed and said, "I know it's disrespectful to both promotions, but I want to fulfill my promise to Misawa. That's my final dream."

Translated from Proresu Today

Picture credits: Proresu Today

Notes

Tanabata 

Mr and Mrs Baba: It was to Kyohei Wada who Baba asked what was wrong with him (Baba never knew he had cancer) and to whom he famously said when he heard Kawada was injured, "Fool! What's he done?". Motoko however tried to adopt him as her legal heir on her deathbed. Legal adoption or not, the family orientated Baba's did see him as their son. When Wada's father died (his mother having passed on beforehand), Baba told him to think of himself and Motoko as his parents now.

Kyohei Wada: He had been a juvenile delinquent, and credited Baba and All Japan for saving him. Baba asked him to be a referee when he saw him dancing to music, and noticed how good his rhythm was. Wada would later compare refereeing Four Pillars matches to being like "conducting a great symphony".