Acting
Takao Yoshida
EN, JA cinema · 200 credits
Born
26 October 1973 (age 53)
Birthplace
Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, Japan
Also known as Pepe Michinoku · Taka · Taka Michinoku · Takako Michinoku
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
Filmography
Mystery Wrestling #23
as Taka Michinoku
NJPW Taichi School Pro Wrestling 2
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Year Dash!! 2025
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW 53rd Anniversary Event
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 9 (Final)
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2025 - Night 1
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2025 - Night 2
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Yuji Nagata Produce Blue Justice XVI
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Road in Ishikari 2025
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 2
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 3
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 4
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 5
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 7
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 8
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning in Osaka 2024
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2024 - Day 1
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Year Dash!! 2024
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2024 - Night 1
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2024 - Night 2
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2024 - Day 2
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning in Nagoya
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Soul 2024: Day 1
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Soul 2024: Day 2
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 5
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 4
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 6
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 7
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 12
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 9
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 11
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 8
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 10
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 13
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Soul 2024: Day 5
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Soul 2024: Day 3
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Soul 2024: Day 4
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Soul 2024: Day 6
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Soul 2024: Day 7
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2024 - Day 2
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 17
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 18
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Shingo Takagi's 20th Debut Anniversary Event
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 16
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 19 (Final)
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Road to Destruction 2024: Day 2
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Road to Destruction 2024: Day 3
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Road to Destruction 2024: Day 4
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Road to Destruction 2024: Day 5
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Destruction in Kobe 2024
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Royal Quest IV
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Power Struggle ~ Super Junior Tag League 2024
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Sakura Genesis 2023
as Taka Michinoku
NJPW Dominion 6.4 in Osaka-jo Hall 2023
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2023 - Day 1
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2023 - Day 2
as TAKA Michinoku
All Together Again
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2023: Day 1
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2023: Day 3
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 33: Day 19 (Final)
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 33: Day 18
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 33: Day 17
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Year Dash !! 2023
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Destruction In Kobe 2023
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Road to Sakura Genesis 2023 - Day 2
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW & NOAH: Wrestle Kingdom 16 - Night 3
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16: Night 2
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Years Golden Series 2022 - Day 1
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 1
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Years Golden Series 2022 - Day 6
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Years Golden Series 2022 - Day 10
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Years Golden Series 2022 - Day 14
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 2
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 4
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 5
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2022
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 6
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 7
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 10
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 11
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 8
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 9
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 13
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 14
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 15
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 16
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 17
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 3
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Years Golden Series 2022 - Day 2
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Years Golden Series 2022 - Day 9
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 1
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 6
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 7
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 15 (Final)
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 14
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 13
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 12
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 11
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 10
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 9
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 8
as TAKA Michinoku
GCW Joey Janela's Spring Break 3: Part 1
as TAKA Michinoku
ROH & NJPW: G1 Supercard
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2019 - Day 1
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW 47th Anniversary Show
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2019 - Day 1
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2019 - Day 2
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2019 - Day 2
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2019 - Day 1
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2019 - Day 2
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2019 - Day 3
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2019 - Day 4
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Best of the Super Junior 26 - Day 8
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Destruction in Kobe 2018
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Destruction in Hiroshima 2018
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 11
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 13
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 12
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2018 - Day 1
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 7
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 5
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 9
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 15
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Year Dash !! 2018
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2018 - Night 1
as Taka Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 1
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 3
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 17
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Osaka 2018
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2018 - Night 2
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2018 - Day 2
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2018 - Day 4
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2018 - Day 2
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Destruction in Kobe 2017
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2017 - Day 2
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Power Struggle 2017
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Destruction in Hiroshima 2017
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2017
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW 45th Anniversary Show
as TAKA MichinokuMinoru Suzuki
NJPW Sakura Genesis 2017
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 27: Day 18
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 27: Day 19 (Final)
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2017
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Osaka 2017
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestling Toyonokuni 2017
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2017 - Day 1
as TAKA Michinoku
The Great Sasuke
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 8
as Taka Michinoku
NJPW Power Struggle 2014
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Destruction in Kobe 2014
as Takao Yoshida
NJPW World Tag League 2014 - Day 11
2014
NJPW World Tag League 2014 - Day 11
as Himself, Actor
NJPW G1 Climax 24: Day 12 (Final)
as TAKA Michinoku
WWE: Attitude Era: Vol. 2
as Taka Michinoku
NJPW Invasion Attack 2014
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Destruction 2013
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW King of Pro-Wrestling 2013
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Power Struggle 2013
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 7
as TAKA Michinoku
WWE: The Best Of In Your House
as Taka Michinoku
ECW - Unreleased Vol. 2
as Taka Michinoku
NJPW Dominion 6.16
as Taka Michinoku
NJPW 40th Anniversary Show
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 6
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning 2012
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 1
as TAKA Michinoku
AJPW Realize
2005
AJPW Realize
as TAKA Michinoku
HUSTLE-3
2004
HUSTLE-3
as TAKA Michinoku
AJPW Road To Re-BirthxRe-Verse 2003 - Day 11: 31st Anniversary
2003
AJPW Road To Re-BirthxRe-Verse 2003 - Day 11: 31st Anniversary
as TAKA Michinoku
WWE Royal Rumble 2001
as Taka Michinoku
WWE WrestleMania 2000
as TAKA Michinoku
WWE Survivor Series 1999
as TAKA Michinoku (Appearance)
ECW CyberSlam 1999
as TAKA Michinoku
ECW Hardcore Heaven 1999
as TAKA Michinoku
WWE Judgment Day: In Your House
as TAKA Michinoku
WWE Over the Edge: In Your House
as TAKA Michinoku
WWE SummerSlam 1998
as TAKA Michinoku
WWE No Way Out of Texas: In Your House
as TAKA Michinoku
WWE WrestleMania XIV
as TAKA Michinoku
WWE King of the Ring 1998
as TAKA Michinoku
ECW Barely Legal 1997
as Taka Michinoku
WWE In Your House 16: Canadian Stampede
as Taka Michinoku
WWE D-Generation X: In Your House
as Taka Michinoku
NJPW Skydiving J
1996
NJPW Skydiving J
as TAKA Michinoku
Michinoku Pro 3rd Anniversary: These Days
as TAKA Michinoku
FMW 7th Anniversary Show
as TAKA Michinoku
FMW Year End Spectacular '95 - Day 10
as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Super J-Cup 1994
as TAKA Michinoku