yes, but he knew Luffy was using awakening
He sees Luffy turning the environment into rubber and says it's his Paramythia powers awakening. He then comments on how Luffy transforms and talks about how it's a trademark of Zoans.
Anyways, it makes no sense for zoan awakening to not effect their transformations. Kaido's words clearly imply he is awakened, as he knows so much about awakening and he claims to be the strongest.
And that special hybrid is something he goes into when he's extremely serious and its moves are stronger than the average thunder bagua. So it makes no sense for it not to be awakening imo. Especially when Kaido gets buff just like G5 Luffy.
Kaidou gets buff via a different form. Nika gets buff by freely changing their shape.
Just because two things look brown, doesn't mean mud is chocolate.
Kaidou is a prime candidate for having Awakening, yes.
He has all the trademarks that an Awakened zoans possess as Crocodile described - increased resilience & increased physical stats.
What I'm saying is that there's no reason to believe a specific transformation is what Zoan awakenings provide.
Nothing of that sort is specified ever in any source.