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

New Japan Pro Wrestling

New Japan Pro Wrestling

WWE Friday Night SmackDown

WWE Friday Night SmackDown

WWE Heat

ECW Hardcore TV

WWE Metal

NJPW New Japan Cup

ECW on TNN

NJPW Dominion 6.4 in Osaka-jo Hall 2023

FMW 7th Anniversary Show

NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 4

NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 12

FMW Year End Spectacular '95 - Day 10

NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 15 (Final)

NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 2

NJPW New Years Golden Series 2022 - Day 2

NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 9

NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 8

NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 8

NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 4

NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 16

NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 3

NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 14

WWE WrestleMania XIV

NJPW New Japan Soul 2024: Day 2

NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 5

NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 5

NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 17

NJPW New Year Dash!! 2024

WWE WrestleMania 2000

NJPW Power Struggle 2017

NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 7

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 8

NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2024 - Night 1

NJPW New Japan Cup 2018 - Day 4

NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 10

NJPW New Japan Cup 2019 - Day 4

ECW - Unreleased Vol. 2