Riki Chōshū

Mitsuo Yoshida (December 3, 1951), better known by his stage name Riki Chōshū(長州力 Chōshū Riki), is a semi-retired 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 80's and 90's and known as the first wrestler to popularize 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.
==In wrestling==
*Lariat
*Sasori-gatame - Innovated
==Championships and accomplishments==
*All Japan Pro Wrestling
:*PWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
*Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling
:*WMG Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Genichiro Tenryu
*National Wrestling Alliance
:*NWA International Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Yoshiaki Yatsu
:*NWA North American Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Seiji Sakaguchi
*New Japan Pro Wrestling
:*IWGP Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
:*IWGP Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Masa Saito (1), Takashi Iizuka (1), and Kensuke Sasaki (1)
:*Greatest 18 Championship (1 time)
:*1989 World Cup Tournament Winner
:*1992 SG Tag League Winner
:*G-1 Climax Winner
*Pro Wrestling Illustrated
:*PWI ranked him #30 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
*Universal Wrestling Association
:*UWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
:*UWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Gran Hamada
*World Wrestling Federation
:*WWF International Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
*Wrestling Observer Newsletter
:*Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)
:*1987 Wrestler of the Year
:*1992 Best Booker
:*1995 Promoter of the Year
:*1996 Promoter of the Year
:*1997 Promoter of the Year
==Externals links==
* Profile
Category:Japanese wrestlers
Category:Wrestling executives
Category:1951 births
Category:1974 debuts
Category:All Japan Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:Apache Pro-Wrestling alumni
Category:Big Mouth Loud alumni
Category:Dradition Pro-Wrestling alumni
Category:Dragon Gate alumni
Category:Fighting Of World Japan alumni
Category:FREEDOMS alumni
Category:HUSTLE alumni
Category:Legend The Pro-Wrestling alumni
Category:Michinoku Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:Osaka Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi alumni
Category:Pro Wrestling ZERO1 alumni
Category:Real Japan Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:Riki Pro alumni
Category:Union of Wrestling Forces International alumni
Category:Universal Wrestling Association alumni
Category:World Championship Wrestling alumni
Category:World Wrestling Entertainment alumni
Category:Wrestle Association-R alumni
Category:Bookers
Category:Olympic athletes
Category:Living people
Category:Promoters
Category:Championship Wrestling From Florida alumni
Category:Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre alumni
Category:Kaientai Dojo alumni
Category:National Wrestling Alliance alumni
Category:Onita Pro alumni
Category:IWGP Tag Team Champions
Category:IWGP Heavyweight Champions
Category:Male wrestlers
Category:New Japan Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:Former amateur wrestlers
Category:2019 retirements