Takao Yoshida
Known for Acting · 206 credits
- Born
- 1973-10-26 (age 52)
- Place of birth
- Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, Japan
- Also known as
- Pepe Michinoku · Taka · Taka Michinoku · Takako Michinoku
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.
Known For
TV Shows (8)
Raw
1993
as Taka Michinoku
New Japan Pro Wrestling
1972
as TAKA Michinoku / Taka Michinoku
WWE Heat
1998
as Taka Michinoku
WWE Friday Night SmackDown
1999
as Taka Michinoku
ECW Hardcore TV
1993
ECW on TNN
1999
as Taka Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup
2005
as TAKA Michinoku
WWE Metal
1999
as Taka Michinoku
Movies (198)
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 6
2022
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 12
2022
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 10
2022
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 15 (Final)
2022
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Road to Sakura Genesis 2023 - Day 2
2023
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 11
2022
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 7
2022
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 13
2022
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 8
2022
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 14
2022
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 9
2022
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Best of the Super Junior 26 - Day 8
2019
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 1
2022
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 8
2025
as TAKA Michinoku
FMW Kawasaki Stadium 7th Anniversary
1996
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 3
2025
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 2
2025
as TAKA Michinoku
WWE WrestleMania 2000
2000
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 5
2025
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2022
2022
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 4
2025
as TAKA Michinoku
WWE Royal Rumble 2001
2001
as Taka Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 7
2025
as TAKA Michinoku
WWE King of the Ring 1998
1998
as TAKA Michinoku
WWE WrestleMania XIV
1998
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Years Golden Series 2022 - Day 2
2022
as TAKA Michinoku
Battlarts Battle Fiction
1998
as TAKA Michinoku
WWE: Attitude Era: Vol. 2
2014
as Taka Michinoku
WWE Survivor Series 1999
1999
as TAKA Michinoku (Appearance)
WWE SummerSlam 1998
1998
as TAKA Michinoku
WWE Over the Edge: In Your House
1998
as TAKA Michinoku
Mystery Wrestling #23
2026
as Taka Michinoku
WWE D-Generation X: In Your House
1997
as Taka Michinoku
WWE Judgment Day: In Your House
1998
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Year Dash !! 2018
2018
as TAKA Michinoku
WWE No Way Out of Texas: In Your House
1998
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 7
2013
as TAKA Michinoku
ECW Hardcore Heaven 1999
1999
as TAKA Michinoku
WWE: The Best Of In Your House
2013
as Taka Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 27: Day 18
2017
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 12
2018
as TAKA Michinoku
ECW Barely Legal 1997
1997
as Taka Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning in Osaka 2024
2024
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Destruction 2013
2013
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 9 (Final)
2025
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2018 - Day 4
2018
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Power Struggle 2014
2014
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2024 - Day 1
2024
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Power Struggle 2017
2017
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 8
2014
as Taka Michinoku
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 1
2007
as TAKA Michinoku
WWE In Your House 16: Canadian Stampede
1997
as Taka Michinoku
NJPW Destruction in Kobe 2017
2017
as TAKA Michinoku
ECW CyberSlam 1999
1999
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Road to Destruction 2024: Day 4
2024
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2018 - Day 2
2018
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Sakura Genesis 2017
2017
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2019 - Day 1
2019
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2017 - Day 2
2017
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Invasion Attack 2014
2014
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Destruction in Hiroshima 2018
2018
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Osaka 2017
2017
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2018 - Day 1
2018
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Year Dash !! 2015
2015
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Osaka 2018
2018
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Years Golden Series 2022 - Day 1
2022
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Destruction in Kobe 2014
2014
as Takao Yoshida
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 6
2012
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW 53rd Anniversary Event
2025
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Road to Destruction 2024: Day 2
2024
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Power Struggle 2013
2013
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW 47th Anniversary Show
2019
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 8
2024
as TAKA Michinoku
ECW International Invasion: The Best of Super Crazy, Tajiri, Taka & Tanaka
1999
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Power Struggle ~ Super Junior Tag League 2024
2024
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Road To Tokyo Dome - Day 6
2014
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2025 - Night 2
2025
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestling Toyonokuni 2017
2017
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW 40th Anniversary Show
2012
as TAKA Michinoku
ECW - Unreleased Vol. 2
2013
as Taka Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 7
2018
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Year Dash!! 2025
2025
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 17
2018
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 11
2018
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 27: Day 19 (Final)
2017
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Road to Destruction 2024: Day 5
2024
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 5
2018
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2019 - Day 2
2019
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 33: Day 17
2023
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 33: Day 18
2023
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2018 - Day 2
2018
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 1
2018
as TAKA Michinoku
HUSTLE-3
2004
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16: Night 2
2022
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW & AJPW 40th Anniversary: We Are Pro-Wrestling Love
2012
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Year Dash!! 2024
2024
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW King of Pro-Wrestling 2013
2013
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Years Golden Series 2022 - Day 6
2022
as TAKA Michinoku
AJPW Road To Re-BirthxRe-Verse 2003 - Day 11: 31st Anniversary
2003
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Destruction In Kobe 2023
2023
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2019 - Day 2
2019
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 7
2022
as TAKA Michinoku
ROH & NJPW: G1 Supercard
2019
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Yuji Nagata Produce Blue Justice XVI
2025
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning 2012
2012
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 9
2018
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Soul 2024: Day 1
2024
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW & NOAH: Wrestle Kingdom 16 - Night 3
2022
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 24: Day 12 (Final)
2014
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2025 - Night 1
2025
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2019 - Day 1
2019
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Destruction in Hiroshima 2017
2017
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2017 - Day 1
2017
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 5
2024
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 2
2022
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2017
2017
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2024 - Day 2
2024
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2024 - Day 2
2024
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Superhuman Taiji Ishimori Gets Even More Ridiculous
2025
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Sakura Genesis 2023
2023
as Taka Michinoku
About Takao Yoshida
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… With 206 credits spanning from 1972 to 2026, Takao Yoshida has appeared in 198 films and 8 TV shows.
Fans searching for Takao Yoshida movies, Takao Yoshida filmography, or the latest projects starring Takao Yoshida can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Takao Yoshida Movies
- NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 6 (2022) — as TAKA Michinoku
- NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 12 (2022) — as TAKA Michinoku
- NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 10 (2022) — as TAKA Michinoku
- NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 15 (Final) (2022) — as TAKA Michinoku
- NJPW Road to Sakura Genesis 2023 - Day 2 (2023) — as TAKA Michinoku
Where to Watch Takao Yoshida Films
Most Takao Yoshida movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Takao Yoshida, check our movies catalogue and browse page.