Takao Yoshida

Acting

Born: 1973-10-26 in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, Japan

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.

Takao Yoshida

Biography

Known For

Raw

WWE Friday Night SmackDown

WWE Friday Night SmackDown

WWE WrestleMania 2000

WWE WrestleMania XIV

WWE Survivor Series 1999

WWE Royal Rumble 2001

ECW Hardcore TV

WWE Judgment Day: In Your House

WWE No Way Out of Texas: In Your House

WWE Heat

WWE D-Generation X: In Your House

WWE King of the Ring 1998

ECW on TNN

NJPW G1 Climax 33: Day 17

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 12

ECW Barely Legal 1997

New Japan Pro Wrestling

New Japan Pro Wrestling

WWE SummerSlam 1998

WWE Over the Edge: In Your House

WWE: Attitude Era: Vol. 2

WWE In Your House 16: Canadian Stampede

WWE: The Best Of In Your House

ECW - Unreleased Vol. 2

NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2022

NJPW Destruction 2013

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 8

The Great Sasuke

NJPW New Year Dash !! 2018

NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2017

NJPW Super J-Cup 1994

Michinoku Pro 3rd Anniversary: These Days

ECW CyberSlam 1999

ECW Hardcore Heaven 1999

NJPW Blue Justice XV - Wrestling Life 40th Anniversary Yuji Nagata

NJPW Sakura Genesis 2017

NJPW Yuji Nagata Produce Blue Justice XVI

Mystery Wrestling #23

NJPW Dominion 6.16