Yoshiaki Yatsu
Encyclopedia
Yoshiaki Yatsu (born July 19, 1956) is a retired Japan
ese professional wrestler, amateur wrestler and mixed martial artist.
in Montreal
. He did not place in the tournament.
in Moscow
, but Japan chose to follow the American-led boycott
.
, before joining Riki Chōshū
, when he left the promotion for All Japan Pro Wrestling
at the end of 1984. In All Japan Yatsu and Chōshū formed a tag team, which would go on to win the NWA International Tag Team Championship
.
In 1986 Yatsu took a hiatus from professional wrestling in order to one last time chase his Olympic dream. However, after winning a Japanese National Championship in the super heavyweight division in 1986 and while training for the 1987 Asian Wrestling Championships
, the International Olympic Committee
declared that Yatsu was a professional athlete and banned him from not only that competition, but also from the 1988 Summer Olympics
. The decision stunned many people, but Yatsu didn't file an appeal.
While Yatsu was training for his Olympic dream, Chōshū left All Japan and returned to New Japan. Upon his return to professional wrestling, Yatsu decided not to join his tag team partner in New Japan, but to stay in All Japan. Afterwards, All Japan broke up the tag team of Genichiro Tenryu
and Jumbo Tsuruta
and made Tsuruta Yatsu's new tag team partner. The tag team, known as "The Olympics", would go on to win the AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship
five times, the PWF World Tag Team Championship
once and in 1987 the team also won the World's Strongest Tag Team League. In 1990 the team broke up when Yatsu jumped to Super World of Sports
. In 1991, while working for the promotion, Yatsu unsuccessfully challenged Hulk Hogan
for the WWF Championship
. When Super World of Sports folded in 1992, Yatsu formed his own promotion Social Pro Wrestling Federation (SPWF), but would wrestle himself only semi-regularly. In 1994 he returned to New Japan to take part in the G1 Climax tournament.
In recent years, Yatsu has been the president of a transportation company. On November 30, 2010, he returned to the professional wrestling ring to wrestle his retirement match. The match took place in front of 500 fans at Shinjuku Face in Tokyo
, and saw Yatsu and Koji Ishinriki losing to Tatsumi Fujinami
and Tiger Mask
, when Yatsu submitted to Fujinami.
promotion Pride Fighting Championships. On October 31, 2000, Yatsu faced Gary Goodridge
in Osaka
. Yatsu, who hadn't had any stand-up training at all and hadn't wrestled in 13 years, was defeated at 8:58 in the first round. Despite being dominated all through the fight, Yatsu received a standing ovation from the crowd. The two were booked in a rematch on September 24, 2001. Goodridge again dominated the fight, got Yatsu in a guillotine choke
and asked for his corner to throw in the towel, which they did.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese professional wrestler, amateur wrestler and mixed martial artist.
1976 Summer Olympics
At the age of 20, Yatsu competed in amateur wrestling at the 1976 Summer Olympics1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. He did not place in the tournament.
1980 Summer Olympics
He would have participated in the 1980 Summer Olympics1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, but Japan chose to follow the American-led boycott
American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics boycott of the Moscow Olympics was a part of a package of actions initiated by the United States to protest the Soviet war in Afghanistan...
.
Professional wrestling career
In 1980, after Japan decided not to send their athletes to take part in the Summer Olympics in Moscow, Yatsu garnered a great deal of national attention, when he announced his intention of becoming a professional wrestler. Within just a few years, Yatsu became a regular headliner for New Japan Pro WrestlingNew Japan Pro Wrestling
is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
, before joining Riki Chōshū
Riki Choshu
Mitsuo Yoshida , better known by his stage name Riki Chōshū , 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...
, when he left the promotion for All Japan Pro Wrestling
All Japan Pro Wrestling
is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...
at the end of 1984. In All Japan Yatsu and Chōshū formed a tag team, which would go on to win the NWA International Tag Team Championship
NWA International Tag Team Championship
The NWA International Tag Team Championship was a National Wrestling Alliance-sanctioned title contested for in All Japan Pro Wrestling . Prior to being used in AJPW, the title was defended in the Japan Wrestling Association . The title lasted from 1962 through 1988...
.
In 1986 Yatsu took a hiatus from professional wrestling in order to one last time chase his Olympic dream. However, after winning a Japanese National Championship in the super heavyweight division in 1986 and while training for the 1987 Asian Wrestling Championships
Asian Wrestling Championships
Asian Wrestling Championships is the Wrestling Asian Championship organized by the Asian Associated Wrestling Committee .The men's tournament began in 1979 and The women's tournament was first staged in 1996, and it has been held every year....
, the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
declared that Yatsu was a professional athlete and banned him from not only that competition, but also from the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
. The decision stunned many people, but Yatsu didn't file an appeal.
While Yatsu was training for his Olympic dream, Chōshū left All Japan and returned to New Japan. Upon his return to professional wrestling, Yatsu decided not to join his tag team partner in New Japan, but to stay in All Japan. Afterwards, All Japan broke up the tag team of Genichiro Tenryu
Genichiro Tenryu
Genichiro Tenryu , real name Genichiro Shimada , is a Japanese professional wrestler. At age 13, he entered sumo wrestling and stayed there for 13 years, after which he turned to Western-style professional wrestling...
and Jumbo Tsuruta
Jumbo Tsuruta
, better known by his ring name Jumbo Tsuruta, was a professional wrestler who wrestled for All Japan Pro Wrestling for most of his career, and is well-known for being the first ever AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion, having won the PWF Heavyweight Championship, the NWA United National...
and made Tsuruta Yatsu's new tag team partner. The tag team, known as "The Olympics", would go on to win the AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship
AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship
The All Japan Pro Wrestling Unified World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling...
five times, the PWF World Tag Team Championship
PWF World Tag Team Championship
The Pacific Wrestling Federation Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team championship in All Japan Pro Wrestling, created in 1984...
once and in 1987 the team also won the World's Strongest Tag Team League. In 1990 the team broke up when Yatsu jumped to Super World of Sports
Super World of Sports
Super World of Sports, more commonly known as SWS, was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion from 1990 to 1992. Its motto was "STRAIGHT AND STRONG".-Formation:...
. In 1991, while working for the promotion, Yatsu unsuccessfully challenged Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
for the WWF Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
. When Super World of Sports folded in 1992, Yatsu formed his own promotion Social Pro Wrestling Federation (SPWF), but would wrestle himself only semi-regularly. In 1994 he returned to New Japan to take part in the G1 Climax tournament.
In recent years, Yatsu has been the president of a transportation company. On November 30, 2010, he returned to the professional wrestling ring to wrestle his retirement match. The match took place in front of 500 fans at Shinjuku Face in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, and saw Yatsu and Koji Ishinriki losing to Tatsumi Fujinami
Tatsumi Fujinami
is a Japanese professional wrestler who is famous for his gimmick as "The Dragon." He is the one who is credited for inventing the Dragon Sleeper and the Dragon Suplex...
and Tiger Mask
Satoru Sayama
is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known as the original Tiger Mask. He's wrestled under his real name as well as the names Sammy Lee, and masked Super Tiger, Tiger King, Tiger Mask and The Mask of Tiger...
, when Yatsu submitted to Fujinami.
Mixed martial arts career
After spending multiple years out of the spotlight, Yatsu, aged 44, received a big money offer to fight for mixed martial artsMixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
promotion Pride Fighting Championships. On October 31, 2000, Yatsu faced Gary Goodridge
Gary Goodridge
Gary Goodridge , nicknamed "Big Daddy", is a Trinidadian and Tobagonian-Canadian former super heavyweight kickboxer and heavyweight mixed martial artist fighting out of Barrie, Ontario. Goodridge is known for his hard-hitting fighting style and showmanship...
in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
. Yatsu, who hadn't had any stand-up training at all and hadn't wrestled in 13 years, was defeated at 8:58 in the first round. Despite being dominated all through the fight, Yatsu received a standing ovation from the crowd. The two were booked in a rematch on September 24, 2001. Goodridge again dominated the fight, got Yatsu in a guillotine choke
Guillotine choke
The guillotine choke is a chokehold in martial arts and wrestling applied from in front of the opponent. The choke involves using the arms to encircle the opponent's neck in a fashion similar to a guillotine. The technique is either a type of tracheal compression restraint that prevents air flow...
and asked for his corner to throw in the towel, which they did.
Amateur wrestling
- 1976 Japanese Olympic TrialsWrestling at the 1976 Summer OlympicsAt the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, 20 wrestling events were contested, all for men only. There were 10 weight classes in each of the freestyle wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestling disciplines.-Freestyle:-Greco-Roman:-Medal table:...
- First place, 198 pounds - 1978 Asian Games1978 Asian GamesThe 8th Asian Games were held from December 9, 1978 to December 20, 1978 in Bangkok, Thailand. Originally, the host city was Singapore but Singapore dropped its plan to host the Games due to financial problems. And then Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan was decided to host the 8th Games...
- First place, super heavyweight - 1979 Asian Wrestling ChampionshipsAsian Wrestling ChampionshipsAsian Wrestling Championships is the Wrestling Asian Championship organized by the Asian Associated Wrestling Committee .The men's tournament began in 1979 and The women's tournament was first staged in 1996, and it has been held every year....
- First place, 220 pounds - 1979 Japanese National Championships - First place, super heavyweight
- 1980 Japanese Olympic TrialsWrestling at the 1980 Summer OlympicsWrestling at the 1980 Summer Olympics was represented by twenty events . They were split into two disciplines : Freestyle and Greco-Roman...
- First place, 220 pounds - 1986 Japanese National Championships - First place, super heavyweight
Professional wrestling
- All Japan Pro WrestlingAll Japan Pro Wrestlingis a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...
- AJPW Unified World Tag Team ChampionshipAJPW Unified World Tag Team ChampionshipThe All Japan Pro Wrestling Unified World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling...
(5 times) - with Jumbo TsurutaJumbo Tsuruta, better known by his ring name Jumbo Tsuruta, was a professional wrestler who wrestled for All Japan Pro Wrestling for most of his career, and is well-known for being the first ever AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion, having won the PWF Heavyweight Championship, the NWA United National... - NWA International Tag Team ChampionshipNWA International Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA International Tag Team Championship was a National Wrestling Alliance-sanctioned title contested for in All Japan Pro Wrestling . Prior to being used in AJPW, the title was defended in the Japan Wrestling Association . The title lasted from 1962 through 1988...
(1 time) - with Riki ChōshūRiki ChoshuMitsuo Yoshida , better known by his stage name Riki Chōshū , 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... - PWF World Tag Team ChampionshipPWF World Tag Team ChampionshipThe Pacific Wrestling Federation Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team championship in All Japan Pro Wrestling, created in 1984...
(1 time) - with Jumbo Tsuruta - World's Strongest Tag Team LeagueWorld's Strongest Tag Team LeagueThe , more commonly known in the West as the Real World Tag League, is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by All Japan Pro Wrestling since 1977, usually run on the first weeks of December...
- with Jumbo Tsuruta in 1987 - January 2nd Korakuen Hall Heavyweight Battle Royal (1990)
- International Wrestling Promotion
- IWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Goro Tsurumi
- Super World of SportsSuper World of SportsSuper World of Sports, more commonly known as SWS, was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion from 1990 to 1992. Its motto was "STRAIGHT AND STRONG".-Formation:...
- SWS Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Haku
- World Class Championship WrestlingWorld Class Championship WrestlingWorld Class Championship Wrestling ' was a regional professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Originally owned by promoter Ed McLemore, by 1966 it was run by Southwest Sports, Inc., whose president, Jack Adkisson, was better known as wrestler Fritz Von Erich...
- WCCW Television ChampionshipWCCW Television ChampionshipThe WCWA Television Championship was a secondary championship that was used and defended in the World Class Wrestling Association. Originally created in 1979 as the WCCW Television Championship, it was primarily defended on their weekly television show...
(1 time)
Mixed martial arts record
| Result | Opponent | Method | Round (time) | Event | Location | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align="center" Loss | TKO (corner stoppage) | Round 1 (3:03) | Pride 16: Beasts From the East PRIDE 16 Pride 16: Beasts From the East was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships on September 24, 2001 at the Osaka Castle Hall in Japan. The fight card featured 7 fights that night, including the return of Don Frye to MMA... |
||||
| align="center" Loss | TKO (strikes) | Round 1 (8:58) | Pride 11: Battle of the Rising Sun PRIDE 11 Pride 11: Battle of the Rising Sun was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Osaka Castle Hall in Osaka, Japan on October 31, 2000.-Results:... |