Riki Choshu: Difference between revisions
RandySavageFTW (talk | contribs) |
RandySavageFTW (talk | contribs) |
||
Line 47: | Line 47: | ||
**[[NWA International Tag Team Championship]] ([[NWA International Tag Team Championship#Title History|1 time]]) - with [[Yoshiaki Yatsu]] |
**[[NWA International Tag Team Championship]] ([[NWA International Tag Team Championship#Title History|1 time]]) - with [[Yoshiaki Yatsu]] |
||
**[[PWF World Heavyweight Championship]] ([[PWF World Heavyweight Championship#Title History|1 time]]) |
**[[PWF World Heavyweight Championship]] ([[PWF World Heavyweight Championship#Title History|1 time]]) |
||
*'''[[Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling]]''' |
*'''[[Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling]]''' |
||
**WMG Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with [[Genichiro Tenryu]] |
**WMG Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with [[Genichiro Tenryu]] |
||
*'''[[New Japan Pro Wrestling]]''' |
*'''[[New Japan Pro Wrestling]]''' |
||
**[[WWF World Martial Arts Heavyweight Championship|Greatest 18 Championship]] ([[WWF World Martial Arts Heavyweight Championship#Title History|1 time]]) |
**[[WWF World Martial Arts Heavyweight Championship|Greatest 18 Championship]] ([[WWF World Martial Arts Heavyweight Championship#Title History|1 time]]) |
||
Line 59: | Line 61: | ||
**[[Super Grade Tag League]] ([[G1 Climax Tag League#1992|1992]]) – with [[Shinya Hashimoto]] |
**[[Super Grade Tag League]] ([[G1 Climax Tag League#1992|1992]]) – with [[Shinya Hashimoto]] |
||
**World Cup Tournament winner in 1989 |
**World Cup Tournament winner in 1989 |
||
⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
*'''[[Universal Wrestling Association]]''' |
*'''[[Universal Wrestling Association]]''' |
||
**[[UWA World Heavyweight Championship]] ([[UWA World Heavyweight Championship#Title History|1 time]]) |
**[[UWA World Heavyweight Championship]] ([[UWA World Heavyweight Championship#Title History|1 time]]) |
||
**[[UWA World Tag Team Championship]] ([[UWA World Tag Team Championship#Title history|1 time]]) - with [[Gran Hamada]] |
**[[UWA World Tag Team Championship]] ([[UWA World Tag Team Championship#Title history|1 time]]) - with [[Gran Hamada]] |
||
⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
*'''[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards]]''' |
*'''[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards]]''' |
||
**[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards#Best Booker|Best Booker]] (1992) |
**[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards#Best Booker|Best Booker]] (1992) |
Revision as of 13:40, 14 December 2008
Riki Chōshū | |
---|---|
Born | December 3, 1951 |
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | Riki Chōshū Yoshida ( Real name Kwak Gwang-ung |
Billed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
Billed weight | 246 lb (112 kg) |
Debut | August 8, 1974 |
Mitsuo Yoshida (吉田光雄 Kwak Gwang-ung, born December 3, 1951), better known by his stage name Riki Chōshū (長州力 Chōshū Riki), is a Korean Japanese professional wrestler who is most known for his longtime work in New Japan Pro Wrestling as a wrestler and a booker. He is considered one of the most influential wrestlers in Japan in the 1980s and 1990s and known as the first wrestler to popularize the Sasori-Gatame, better known in English as Scorpion Deathlock or Sharpshooter.
After Mitsuo left New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2002, he formed Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling (WJ), which is now known as Riki Pro as he is the promoter of the promotion. In October 2005, he returned to New Japan as a site foreman, a booker, and a part-time wrestler.
Professional wrestling career
In the mid-1970s, Chōshū was sent to North America to gain experience. Wrestling under his real name, Yoshida appeared in George Cannon's "Superstars of Wrestling" promotion as a villain, managed by Superstar (or Supermouth) Dave Drasen. Yoshida had a brief feud with the fan favorite of Cannon's promotion, Luis Martinez.
Chōshū was the first "traitor heel" in a Japanese promotion. In 1983, upset at not being selected for the inaugural tournament for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, he turned on Tatsumi Fujinami during a match and formed his own stable, Ishin-gun (Revolutionary Army), which was the core for the later Japan Pro-Wrestling promotion that "invaded" All Japan Pro Wrestling.
Personal life
He is of Korean descent, and participated in the 1972 Summer Olympics as a South Korean wrestling representative. His Korean name is Kwak Kwang-ung.
In wrestling
- Finishing and signature moves
- Sasori-Gatame - Innovated
- Lariat
- Belly to back suplex
- Entrance themes
- "Power Hall" composed by Susumu Hirasawa
Championships and accomplishments
- Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling
- WMG Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Genichiro Tenryu
- New Japan Pro Wrestling
- Greatest 18 Championship (1 time)
- IWGP Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
- IWGP Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Masa Saito (1), Takashi Iizuka (1), and Kensuke Sasaki (1)
- NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Japan version) (1 time) - with Seiji Sakaguchi
- WWF International Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- WWF World Martial Arts Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- G1 Climax (1996)
- Super Grade Tag League (1992) – with Shinya Hashimoto
- World Cup Tournament winner in 1989
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI ranked him #30 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- Best Booker (1992)
- Promoter of the Year (1995-1997)
- Wrestler of the Year (1987)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)