Takao Yoshida
Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, Japan
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Popularity
Biography
Takao Yoshida, better known by his ring name TAKA Michinoku, is a Japanese professional wrestler, trainer, former mixed martial artist, and the founder of Just Tap Out (JTO). Trained by The Great Sasuke, he debuted in 1992 and became one of the most influential junior heavyweights of his generation, finding international fame during his time in the WWF (now WWE), where he became the inaugural WWF Light Heavyweight Champion. He has also enjoyed championship success across Japan, Mexico, Europe, and North America, including lengthy reigns as the FMW Independent World Junior Heavyweight Champion and WEW Six-Man Tag Team Champion, while simultaneously holding the World Junior Heavyweight Championship, Michinoku Pro Tohoku Junior Heavyweight Championship, and Kaientai Dojo Strongest-K Championship for nearly ten months. He founded Kaientai Dojo in 2002 before launching JTO in 2019, received the Tokyo Sports Technique Award in 2005, and was ranked No. 22 in the 1998 PWI 500. Since 2007, Michinoku has been a regular competitor for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), winning the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship while also spending more than a decade as a member of Suzuki-gun before joining Just 5 Guys. Widely respected as both a wrestler and trainer, his influence extends far beyond his own accomplishments, helping shape generations of wrestlers through Kaientai Dojo and JTO while remaining an active competitor well into his 50s.
Movie Credits
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2023 - Day 1
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2023 - Day 2
JTO 50th Anniversary for TAKATaichi Together ~ Last TAKATaichi
JTO TAKA Michinoku Debut 30th Anniversary: TAKATaichiDespeMania
ECW International Invasion: The Best of Super Crazy, Tajiri, Taka & Tanaka
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2024 - Day 1
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2024 - Day 2
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2018 - Day 1
NJPW Shingo Takagi's 20th Debut Anniversary Event
NJPW & AJPW 40th Anniversary: We Are Pro-Wrestling Love
AJPW Road To Re-BirthxRe-Verse 2003 - Day 11: 31st Anniversary
NJPW Power Struggle ~ Super Junior Tag League 2024
NJPW Blue Justice XV - Wrestling Life 40th Anniversary Yuji Nagata
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2019 - Day 1
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2019 - Day 2
NJPW Superhuman Taiji Ishimori Gets Even More Ridiculous
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2018 - Day 2
NJPW Superhuman Taiji Ishimori Gets Ridiculous One More Time
