10 5-Star Matches you absolutely need to know about

#8 Kota Ibushi vs. Shinsuke Nakamura – Wrestle Kingdom 9

This spectacular match turned both men into bona fide wrestling stars.

NJPW’s wrestle Kingdom IX will forever go down as one of the best wrestling PPVs in years. From the opening match to the main event, it set the bar extremely high for 2015.

Out of the eleven matches on that card, one stood head and shoulders above the rest: the IWGP Intercontinental Championship match between Shinsuke Nakamura and Kota Ibushi.

It was a beautiful display of the valiant challenger trying to defeat the wily champion Ibushi, who had spent his career as a junior heavyweight, had a major glass ceiling to break through in order to be taken more seriously as a competitor.

Nakamura, meanwhile, came to WK9 to show that he was a superstar like no other in New Japan.

Needless to say, both men succeeded in turning heads with this match. The action was mind-blowing, and the audience loved every minute of it. But fans weren’t the only ones to sing the praises of this match. Here’s what Chris Hero said after watching this match:

Enough said.