1. Mitsuo Yoshida, better known by his ring name Riki Choshu, is a South Korean-Japanese retired professional wrestler who is best known for his longtime work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling as both a wrestler and a booker.
24 Facts About Riki Choshu
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Riki Choshu is considered one of Japan's most influential wrestlers for his work in the 1980s and 1990s and is known as the first wrestler to popularize the Sasori-Gatame, better known in English as the Scorpion Deathlock or Sharpshooter.
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Riki Choshu's father left Korea's Chuseihoku-do for Japan in 1939 and worked as a garbage man for much of his life.
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Riki Choshu took part in baseball and judo as a teenager and after training in the judo department at Giyang Junior High School, he moved to the wrestling department of Yamaguchi prefecture's Sakurakaoka High School as a special student.
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Riki Choshu ended the tournament with a record of one win and two losses, and was disqualified due to the penalty points system.
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Riki Choshu had a brief feud with the top fan favorite of Cannon's promotion, Luis Martinez.
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In late 1982, NJPW Chairman and booker Hisashi Shinma decided to have Riki Choshu turn heel and create a new faction.
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On October 28,1982, Riki Choshu became the first "traitor heel" in a Japanese promotion when he turned on Inoki and Fujinami in a six man tag match.
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Riki Choshu spent the rest of the year feuding with Fujinami while attracting additional supporters to his faction, then known as New Wolves.
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Riki Choshu was joined by Masa Saito, to provide a more senior rival for Antonio Inoki, along with Kuniaki Kobayashi and Gran Hamada, who would feud with Tiger Mask in the junior division.
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The group continued to feud with NJPW for several months, with Riki Choshu finally defeating Fujinami by count out on April 3,1983 to win the International title.
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NJPW did record business as Ishin Gundan vs Seiki Gundan continued to dominate booking through September 1984, when Riki Choshu suddenly left, taking most of Ishin Gundan with him to form the Japan Pro-Wrestling promotion that "invaded" All Japan Pro Wrestling.
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Riki Choshu attended an AJPW event on November 1,1984 where he was challenged by Genichiro Tenryu.
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Riki Choshu defeated Tenryu by count out in 9:21 on February 21,1985 in the main event of a JWP show that was not televised, but is available via bootleg tapes.
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On June 21,1985, AJPW held their first show at Budokan in almost ten years with Riki Choshu challenging Tenryu for the United National titlein the semi-main event under Baba versus Rusher Kimura.
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In early 1987, Riki Choshu left AJPW to return to NJPW, with some members joining him, others staying behind in AJPW, and others retiring.
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Riki Choshu would focus on booking matches for NJPW after that.
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Riki Choshu accepted and wrestled Onita in a deadly squash, where Riki Choshu ended up winning.
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Riki Choshu ran Riki Pro until 2005 when he returned to NJPW as a site foreman, booker and wrestler.
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In 2007, Riki Choshu joined the Legend stable with Masahiro Chono, Jushin Thunder Liger and AKIRA.
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Riki Choshu promotes an occasional series of events called "LOCK UP", which feature talent from New Japan and other promotions.
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In 2012, Riki Choshu was booked in a series of matches for LEGEND The Pro Wrestling and Dradition.
23.
On June 26,2019, Riki Choshu teamed with Tomohiro Ishii and Shiro Koshinaka in a six-man tag team match against Tatsumi Fujinami, Keiji Mutoh, and Togi Makabe.
24.
Riki Choshu appears as a gang member in the 2017 video game Yakuza Kiwami 2, alongside Genichiro Tenryu, Keiji Mutoh, Masahiro Chono and Tatsumi Fujinami.