Thursday, March 28, 2024
Taka Michinoku

Taka Michinoku

Born:
10/26/1973
,
Morioka, Iwate, Japan
Birthname:
Takao Yoshida
Height & Weight:
5'8"
,
201 Ib

Titles Won:

  • WWF Light Heavyweight Championship
  • IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Dick Togo (1) and Taichi (1)
  • GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship – with El Desperado
  • AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship
  • AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship – with Black Tiger VII

Michinoku is known in North America for his work for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) where he had the first ever WWF Light Heavyweight Championship reign recognized by the North-American promotion. Michinoku is the founder and promoter of Kaientai Dojo, where he also wrestles. He is also a regular for New Japan Pro Wrestling

Having held championship titles in Japan, North America, Mexico and Europe, Yoshida is known for his long title reigns. He held the FMW Independent World Junior Heavyweight Title for a combined duration of more than 15 months, the WWF Light Heavyweight Title for a then record-setting 10 months and the WEW Six-Man Tag Team Title for almost a year.

Yoshida has held the World Junior Heavyweight Championship, Michinoku Pro Tohoku Junior Heavyweight Championship and Kaientai Dojo Strongest-K Championship simultaneously for almost 10 months. During his reign, he has defended his titles against both AJPW and independent circuit talent to increase his base of opponents, and thus has increased the reach of the World Junior Heavyweight Championship, which was closed off to outside competition in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s.

Notable Feuds

w/ Dick Togo & Terry Boy vs. Gran Hamada, Gran Naniwa & The Great Sasuke

vs. Kai En Tai

vs. Kazma

Other Notable Achievements

UWA World Trios Championship – with Francis Togo and Antonio Honda

FMW Independent World Junior Heavyweight Championship (2 times)

IWW Junior Heavyweight Championship

Kaientai Dojo Chiba 6 Man Tag Team Championship – with Isami Kodaka and Kengo Mashimo

FMW/WEW Hardcore Tag Team Championship – with TOMO Michinoku

Independent World Junior Heavyweight Championship

Strongest-K Championship (2 times)

Strongest-K Tag Team Championship (6 times) – with Handsome Joe (2), Kengo Mashimo (1), Kaji Tomato (2), and Men’s Teioh (1)

UWA/UWF Intercontinental Tag Team Championship – with Ryota Chikuzen

UWA World Middleweight Championship

Strongest-K Tournament (2007)

Tag Team Match of the Year (2013) with Kaji Tomato vs. Kazma Sakamoto and Kengo Mashimo on November 10

Tohoku Junior Heavyweight Championship

Tokyo Sports Technique Award (2005)

WEW Six Man Tag Team Championship – with Gosaku Goshogawara and Tetsuhiro Kuroda