Acting
Takao Yoshida
1973-10-26 · Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, Japan
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.
Known for
Raw
WWE Friday Night SmackDown
WWE WrestleMania 2000
WWE WrestleMania XIV
WWE Royal Rumble 2001
WWE Survivor Series 1999
ECW Hardcore TV
WWE Judgment Day: In Your House
WWE No Way Out of Texas: In Your House
WWE Heat
WWE King of the Ring 1998
WWE D-Generation X: In Your House
ECW on TNN
NJPW G1 Climax 33: Day 17
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 12
ECW Barely Legal 1997
Movie credits · 199
Mystery Wrestling #23
NJPW Superhuman Taiji Ishimori Gets Ridiculous One More Time
NJPW New Japan Road in Ishikari 2025
NJPW Superhuman Taiji Ishimori Gets Even More Ridiculous
NJPW Yuji Nagata Produce Blue Justice XVI
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2025 - Night 2
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2025 - Night 1
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 9 (Final)
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 8
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 7
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 5
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 4
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 3
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 2
NJPW 53rd Anniversary Event
NJPW Blue Justice XV - Wrestling Life 40th Anniversary Yuji Nagata
NJPW New Year Dash!! 2025
NJPW Power Struggle ~ Super Junior Tag League 2024
NJPW Royal Quest IV
NJPW Destruction in Kobe 2024
NJPW Road to Destruction 2024: Day 5
NJPW Road to Destruction 2024: Day 4
NJPW Road to Destruction 2024: Day 3
NJPW Road to Destruction 2024: Day 2
NJPW Shingo Takagi's 20th Debut Anniversary Event
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 19 (Final)
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 18
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 17
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 16
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 13
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 12
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 11
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 10
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 9
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 8
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 7
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 6
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 5
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 4
NJPW New Japan Soul 2024: Day 7
TV credits · 8
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