Riki Choshu: Profile, Career, Face/Heel Turns, Titles Won, Gimmick Evolution and Stats

Gender Male

Real Name Mitsuo Yoshida (吉田光雄) (born Kwak Gwang-ung (곽광웅))

Ring Names

Height 6 ft 0 in (184 cm)

Weight

Born December 3, 1951 (age 71)

Birth Place Tokuyama, Yamaguchi, Japan

Billed From

Nicknames Kakumei Senshi (Fighter of Revolution)

Roles

Part Time Wrestler ( September 27, 2010 - June 26, 2019)
Promoter ( January 5, 1998 - June 26, 2019)
Wrestler ( January 4, 2001 - September 26, 2010)
Part Time Wrestler ( July 30, 2000 - January 3, 2001)
Wrestler ( August 8, 1974 - January 4, 1998)

Companies / Promotions

Promotion	from	to
Promotion INDY	September 27, 2010	June 26, 2019
Promotion NJPWBrand Heavyweight	October 9, 2005	September 26, 2010
Promotion NJPWBrand Heavyweight	June 1, 1987	April 5, 2002
Promotion AJPW	December 12, 1984	February 5, 1987
Promotion NJPWBrand Heavyweight	August 8, 1974	September 1, 1984

Face / Heel Turns

Images

Feb 2017

Jun 1996

Sep 1986

Finishers

Theme Songs

Theme Song "Power Hall" by Susumu Hirasawara - Single ( August 8, 1974 - June 26, 2019)

Titles Won

1 Greatest 18 Championship
3 IWGP Heavyweight Championship (1 with Masa Saito, 1 with Takashi Iizuka, 1 with Kensuke Sasaki)
1 NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Los Angeles/Japan version) (with Seiji Sakaguchi)
1 WWF International Heavyweight Championship

Other Accomplishments

30° in PWI Years Top 500 (2003)
International Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame (class of 2022)
NJPW G1 Climax Winner (1996)
NJPW Super Grade Tag League Winner (1992) (with Shinya Hashimoto)
NJPW Six Man Tag Team Cup League Winner (1988) (with Antonio Inoki and Kantaro Hoshino)
NJPW World Cup Tournament Winner (1989)
Tokyo Sports Distinguished Service Award (1983)
Tokyo Sports Effort Award (1977)
4 Tokyo Sports Fighting Sport Award (1979, 1986, 1988, 1989)
Tokyo Sports Match of the Year (1983 with Tatsumi Fujinami on April 3)
Tokyo Sports Match of the Year (1984 with Antonio Inoki on August 2)
Tokyo Sports Match of the Year (1985 with Jumbo Tsuruta on November 4)
Tokyo Sports Match of the Year (1993 with Genichiro Tenryu on January 4)
Tokyo Sports Service Award (1997)
Tokyo Sports Technique Award (1981)
WON Best Booker Award (1992)
WON Promoter of the Year (1995, 1996, 1997)
WON Wrestler of the Year (1987)
WON Hall of Fame (class of 1996)

Tag Teams & Stables

Legend - Jushin Thunder Liger, Super Strong Machine / Junji Hirata, Masahiro Chono, Shiro Koshinaka, AKIRA ( September 1, 2007 - October 26, 2009)
Riki Choshu & Kensuke Sasaki - Kensuke Sasaki ( May 4, 1990 - December 7, 2003)
Riki Choshu & Genichiro Tenryu - Genichiro Tenryu ( March 1, 2003 - September 24, 2003)
Riki Choshu & Takayuki Iizuka - Takashi Iizuka ( July 13, 1989 - August 14, 1995)
Riki Choshu & Shinya Hashimoto - Shinya Hashimoto ( October 8, 1992 - October 21, 1992)
Riki Choshu & Masa Saito - Masa Saito ( May 24, 1988 - August 26, 1989)
Takeshi Puroresu Gandan - Gedo, Jado, Vader, Super Delfin ( June 1, 1987 - December 27, 1987)
Antonio Inoki, Kantaro Hoshino & Riki Choshu - Antonio Inoki, Kantaro Hoshino ( November 11, 1988 - December 7, 1988)
Ishin Gundan - Animal Hamaguchi, Isamu Teranishi, Killer Khan, Kuniaki Kobayashi, Masa Saito, Tiger Toguchi, Yoshiaki Yatsu ( January 1, 1983 - February 5, 1987)
Riki Choshu & Gran Hamada - Gran Hamada ( August 1, 1982 - December 25, 1982)
Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu - Yoshiaki Yatsu ( November 20, 1981 - April 21, 1982)
Riki Choshu & Seiji Sakaguchi - Seiji Sakaguchi ( March 24, 1977 - February 11, 1982)