Yoshiaki YATSU

After competing at the 1976 Olympics, Yoshiaki Yatsu won the 1978 Asian Games in the unlimited freestyle class, and also won the 1979 Asian Championships in the 100 kg freestyle class. He made the 1980 Japanese Olympic team, but Japan supported the US-led boycott and he did not compete. Yatsu then turned professional and became a regular headliner for New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), before joining Riki Choshu and leaving to join All-Japan Pro Wrestling at the end of 1984.

Yatsu then tried to return to the Olympics and competed in freestyle wrestling, winning the super-heavyweight division at the 1986 Japanese Championships. While training for the 1987 Asian Championships, the IOC ruled him ineligible because of his professional career, which prevented him from trying for the 1988 Olympics.

Yatsu returned to professional wrestling and, in 1990, moved to the Super World of Sports. In 1991 he challenged Hulk Hogan for the Worldwide Wrestling Federation (WWF) title, but lost the match. Super World of Sports folded in 1992 and Yatsu formed his own promotional company, Social Pro Wrestling Federation (SPWF). He wrestled sporadically over the next few years, working as the president of a transportation company, but did fight a few bouts in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) in 2000-01. In 2010 Yatsu came out of retirement to wrestle a retirement bout.