Jim Cornette on Taka Michinoku 

Love him. Also love to use him in WWE Smackdown 2 : Know Your Role. His moveset was very great.

When I saw Taka, I also thinking about Kaz Hayashi too. When he joined WCW they make him as wrestler in a comedic oriented. But when he's back in Japan his look was completely opposite like he can beat anyone no matter who they are. And I also remember many years ago. In RU-vid it's have a clip that Taka have a Deathmatch in Japan (I think it's now gone). Very brutal one, Never seen him doing this before

@@kidwaryodproduction Think that would have been Big Japan? His old running buddy Men's Teioh went there post-WWF. TAKA's return to MPW to confront Sasuke was one of the biggest things in that fed at the time, although in the early-mid 00s it was ailing compared to its heyday.

I think only titles Taka held (Anyone can correct me if I'm wrong) were the Lightheavyweight title and I think 1/2 of the tag team titles.

@@job489 He never won the tag titles (they lost to the Dudley's once when they were tag champs), and he came close to winning the Hardcore title at that Wrestlemania 2000 battle royal clusterf*ck (Funaki held the title for approximately a minute), but he only held the Light Heavyweight Championship. But good guesses. Sadly, he's most remembered in the WWF for the bump at the 2000 Royal Rumble where he broke his face and they replayed it over and over and over again, accompanied with Jerry Lawler's cackles.

They say "Okada Roll" PLENTY in WWE and IDK of any Okada's besides Kazuchika. P.S. Kazuchika Okada versus Randy Orton would be a DREAM match, IMO.

@@bradpaton3927 It's the O'Connor Roll. Not Okada Roll. The Okada Roll is not a thing.

Can I get an Okada Roll with Wasabi?

That's what Jim Ross and Excalibur refer to it as when people pull the move off in AEW. I've always referred to it as that too. I honestly don't even know what it was called before the michinoku driver or if the move even existed? lol

@@eldiablo3794 Oh I'm not suprised a nerd masked guy who says shit like "TIGER DRIVE 1997" or something would yell specific moves, but I swear I heard Graves call that move on Raw a few years ago, can't remember what match specifically

He was an excellent worker. He would have flourished in WCW working with guys like Jericho and Mysterio. But his size and lack of English would always hold him back with Vince.

@@daleharris3809 You also just described Hakushi.

I didn't really see it myself, and what does Mick know about in ring talent?

@@mcwhorter141mcwhorter8 considering he had a hugely successful career I’d say quite a lot. Certainly more than you,

Too many people mistakenly apply the word "talent" to good performers, when it's their work and skill development that led to performance, not just talent.

@@carter3369 I always liked his tribute to Mick Foley... "The Big Valbowski is a lot like Mick Foley. He's HARD to beat.. Heh Heh Heh... and he NEVER stays down!"

His music always reminded me of Japanese anime and was just as awesome as the original power rangers theme song lol. I remember Sonny used to always guess ring announce Takas matches. "Takaaaaaa Michinokuuuuuuu"

@@eldiablo3794 i wouldn't say old power rangers but i could say super samurai cyber squad

His finisher was legit and looked devastating

Absolutely love the Michinoku driver!

Indeed!

Smackdowns! #1 announcer

@@malcolmcox18iconic

May have something to do with Asian's intrigued for Western society nd the Cowboy culture ... Remember Vince had "Jimmy Wang Yang"

La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-LA-FONTAINE! (Sorry, I channeled my inner Rick Jeanneret for a moment there.)

@@ithinkaboutthings9052 have you ever been to Florida. NY is enlightened compared that hole.

@@ithinkaboutthings9052 Exactly.

I couldn't believe as a kid he then later would go play for New York after that had happened

See my Rangers fan friend tries to tell me that Nassau Coliseum was worse. I doubt it greatly.

I was going to say this exactly! Saw the march on TV with my buddy and we were seriously marking out for TAKA! Such good times.

April 10, 2000 for anyone else looking to find this match. I just started this episode of RAW. Kinda sad to hear how good JR still sounded back then 😔

@@Pogo113 He had Hunter on the ropes a few times.

Damn good match.HHH had good competitive matches around this time with Hardcore Holly, Shelton Benjamin and The Brooklyn Brawler.

@@marywilliams1243 prime triple H in my opinion

It was on HEAT remember it well Undertaker was trying to teach Kane the Last ride 😂

@@craigcaulfield85 Yes! That's what it was lmao

Indeed 😀

Facts.

@@donutpredator4945 I see what you did there.

@@donutpredator4945 He was definitely more over than Roman reigns.

That doesn't make any sense

Indeed

Especially when they set up “Right To Censor” with the same voice over treatment just before their Kaientai match… 😂

@@carter3369 I remember Lawler calling Taka, "Taco".

That was brutal! Think he broke his collar bone, dislocated his shoulder and got a concussion all from that one bump.

I remember being envious of Val, because I would have banged Mrs. Yamaguchi too.

Still going in NJPW, slowed down a lot but changed his game up with more heel work to extend his career

Taka and Funaki are actually among my favorite wrestlers list... though as best in the ring I always feel Bret Hart, Mr Perfect, Eddie(did not realize how good he was until I figured out his a technical wrestler and not a high flyer, just his finish would go high and he delivered a technical good old fashioned frog splash), Kurt Angle definitely, but even then Hulk Hogan is a lot better than we give him credit for, its just his burial of too many others and sticking to his gimick a bit too much instead of changing with the times, which he sort of did with the NWO

I agree it's an impressive finisher. Also his theme music is great

@@bryrobinson5609 it's still looks good to me. Also rikishi driver is good

I always loved Scott Steiner's "Steiner Screwdriver,"he'd pick them up like a Falcon Arrow and turn it into a sit out Tombstone basically.

Looks great, nice impact and relatively safe. Loved the michinoku driver.

Did Yamaguchi catch Corny in the hot tub with his wife?

Indeed

You were who jim was talkin about lol. Hesaid hefelt bad too bad he never seen your comment

Don't believe you one bit

Calllll Steeee-ven P Newwwwww.....

After he back elbowed you, you screamed,”Jesus Cornette!!”” And Chris Jericho who witnessed the entire thing thought you said Judas effect! Because your nose was busted from the wicked back elbow

@@Joblin123 😂

Choppy choppy

taka winning would have made the place explode.

That was Barely Legal, their first PPV. Probably the best part of the show.

That’s one of my most fondly remembered wrestling images. Dick Togo bicep-posing on Sasuke’s back, and Taka middle finger saluting the crowd.

I remember that!

ECW did it RIGHT with their cruiserweights. Those guys were treated like gods by the fans and rightfully so. Jim won't admit it but WWF just plain shit the bed on this one. They completely and utterly dropped the ball, fkd up completely on this one. That's it. Nothing else to it.

I don't wanna see it and I don't wanna hear it!

Of course 1 2 3 kid also known as Xpac beats Razor and Million Dollar Man and wins gold almost right away and gets over like crazy.

He's the (other) old guy in the crew. So he's gotta take the pins.

@@natebaxter9551 thing is, he looks way younger than late 40s

@@natebaxter9551 Even though he's way better in ring than Suzuki and he looks way younger and Taka is way more popular than Suzuki when it comes to mainstream wrestling because more than 800,000 Americans actually know who the fuck he is because at least he worked in the WWF during a high point when millions watched.

@@SpiralPoliFemboy Suzuki is more popular in Japan and that's what matters to them. Western expansion is a goal, not a necessity to them, so they're going to push the guy that will draw more for them.

@@natebaxter9551 A human egg is more popular than one of the best workers right now. Minoru can't even bump. He's an actual egg.

Oh is that what it is

@@chrischar9428 I liked Taka alot too , but he was never pushed like a star and I saw him on Reys level

Taka could do it every night. Undertaker probably needs 6 months off again after doing it

@@kevindouglas5333 not in his prime in 95 to 2005

Michinoku Driver 🤘

Call it off !!!!

Dump her.

anyone who doesnt like that segment needs to find a sense of humor

Benoit was better

​@@taylorsmith9629 I've never seen Benoit do a corkscrew moonsualt and land on his feet.

@@dolandarkxgrandayy6953 Ive never seen Taka make a match with a big slow 7'00 look good.

​@@taylorsmith9629 that's fair, I've never seen Benoit have a great singles match with Triple H, Taka can say that.

He is still active in Japan.

He still wrestles in Japan. He returned to New Japan late last year

@@sadboi88 I meant like if he was in his prime today. I mean he's pretty much no different from the rest of the roster

@@arttashfilms9816 I see what you mean. Japan's junior Heavyweights are a massive influence on modern wrestling. It would be good to see him at next years forbidden door but he's basically just the pin eater of suzuki-gun now, so probably not going to happen

and i think that once in a great while having a underneath guy put up a goof fight can work. Santino in the hell in the cell with daniel bryan. now it's all the time

Like you knew 1 2 3 kid wasn't going to beat Razor

Cornys meds didn't kick in