-Today, Project 45 jumps to the year 2015 as we take a look at the WWE Network Beast in the East special.
-WWE The Beast in the East Special was shown on the WWE Network on July 4, 2015 from the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Sumida, Tokyo, Japan. There were 8,646 in attendance.
-Then, now, forever intro.
-The Beast in the East intro.
-Michael Cole welcomes us to The Beast in the East. He and Byron Saxton are the announcers for the event.
-Chris Jericho vs. Neville: The bell rings and they just stare at each other across the ring. A Y2J chant goes out. They lock up and drive to a corner. Break clean and then circle each other again. Another lock up and Jericho with a go behind. Neville reverses the hold. Jericho counters with a wrist lock and Neville reverses out and goes for a snap mare. He finally gets it and then sweeps the leg of Jericho to get him down. Only gets a one count. Neville jumps to avoid a Jericho sweep and dropkicks Jericho down. Jericho rolls to the outside to regroup. Back in the ring, they lock up and Jericho with a go behind takedown. He gets Neville in a modified STF, but Neville won't give up. Jericho then gets Neville up in a surfboard. Neville flips out and lands on Jericho for a two count. They face each other again as the crowd applauds them. They lock up again and Neville with a wrist lock. Jericho reverses the hold and gets an arm bar on Neville. Neville gets to his knees, so Jericho goes back to the wrist lock. Neville gets to his feet and flips out of the wrist lock, so Jericho clotheslines him over the top rope to the outside. Jericho goes to run to hit a tope on Neville, but Neville gets the ring and hits a dropkick on Jericho first. Neville goes for a tope, but Jericho gets back in the ring and backdrops Neville to the apron and Jericho dropkicks Neville off the apron from the second turnbuckle. Referee Charles Robinson starts to count Neville out as the Y2J chant starts again. Jericho goes outside and runs Neville into the apron. He then chops Neville and throws him back into the ring. Jericho goes up top and hits a crossbody on Neville and gets a two count. Jericho with a headlock and gets Neville down on the mat. Let's go Neville/Y2J dueling chants go out. Neville battling back to his feet. Neville gets to his feet, so Jericho hits him with a knee to the stomach and Irish whips Neville. Neville comes back with a single leg takedown for a two count. Jericho responds with an enziguri and gets a two count of his own. Jericho gets Neville in the corner and chops him. Neville reverses a corner whip. Jericho hits Neville with a back elbow as he charges. He gets a one count. Jericho with a snap mare and a kick to Neville's back. He gets Neville in a headlock. Neville fights back to his feet and hits Jericho with some punches. Jericho responds with a knee to the stomach and some chops. Jericho with an Irish whip. Neville comes back and slides through Jericho's legs and hits Jericho with a back kick. He kicks Jericho several times, but Jericho sidesteps a running kick so Neville Irish whips Jericho and goes to throw him over the top rope. Jericho jumps over the top rope, lands on the apron, and then goes up top and comes off with a double ax handle to Neville. Jericho follows that up with a bulldog. Jericho goes for the Walls of Jericho, but Neville flips out of the attempt. Neville with a modified flying forearm to Jericho. Then another forearm to Jericho in the corner. Neville kicking Jericho in the corner. Neville with a corner whip, but Jericho hits him with a back elbow when he charges in. Neville ducks a clothesline attempt and hits Jericho with a mule kick. Neville goes up top, so Jericho rushes the corner and hits the ropes and Neville crotches himself on the top rope. Jericho climbs up to the second rope, gets Neville in a front face lock, and then goes for a top rope superplex. Neville blocks the move and slams Jericho off face first onto the mat. Neville attempts a Red Arrow, but Jericho moves. Neville then goes for a hurricanrana, but Jericho holds on and turns it into the Walls of Jericho. Neville trying to power out of the move. Neville reaches and finally grabs the bottom rope. Jericho breaks but starts stomping on Neville. Jericho rushes Neville, who sidesteps the charge and throws Jericho to the outside. Neville then runs and dives over the top rope onto Jericho. A this is awesome chant goes out. Neville throws Jericho back in. Neville goes up top and hits Jericho with a dropkick. Neville then hits a running shooting star press on Jericho for a two count. Jericho up to his knees and Neville chopping him. Neville then charges Jericho, who responds with a forearm to Neville's face. Jericho with more forearms. Neville reverses an Irish whip and goes for a dropkick, but Jericho holds on to the ropes. Jericho then hits a Lionsault. He gets a close two count. Jericho with a corner whip, but Neville gets his boot up on the charge. Neville goes up top, but Jericho hits him with a Code Breaker as he comes off. He gets another two count and Jericho can't believe it. The dueling chants go out again as Jericho gets Neville by the hair and hits him with forearms to the back. Neville does a standing switch and hits Jericho with a belly to back suplex. Neville then hits a superkick to Jericho. Jericho gets back to his knees and Neville hits him with another kick. Neville goes for the Red Arrow again and Jericho counters with knees to the midsection and gets the Lion Tamer on Neville and he taps.
-Brock Lesnar is shown arriving at the building earlier in the day.
-Divas Championship Triple threat match. Nikki Bella vs. Paige vs. Tamina: The bell rings and they all look at each other wondering and plotting how they are going to start. Tamina then attacks both Bella and Paige. Bella rolls Tamina up for a two count, but Paige breaks up the pin attempt. Paige covers Bella for a one count, then Tamina clotheslines Paige and Bella. Tamina throws Bella out. Paige superkicks Tamina in the stomach. Paige then puts Tamina through the ropes, goes out to the apron, and attacks Tamina with knees to the face. Tamina pushes Paige down on the apron. Tamina drags Paige in and covers her, but Bella breaks up the pin attempt. Bella grabs Tamina, who headbutts Bella away. Bella goes up to the second rope and kicks Tamina in the head as she comes off. She gets a two count. Tamina headbutts Bella down. Tamina with a suplex. Paige breaks up the pin attempt. Paige and Bella with a double suplex to Tamina. Then a double dropkick to knock Tamina to the outside. Bella then gets Paige down and hits her with forearms to the face. She gets a two count. She goes to run Paige into the corner, but Paige reverses it and runs Bella in instead. Paige rushes Bella, who hits Paige with a back elbow. Paige gets Bella down and gets a two count. Bella with a takedown to Paige and she gets a two count of her own. Paige reverses a move to get Bella down and hits a running knee to Bella who was sitting on the mat. She gets a two count. Paige with a corner whip and a running knee to Bella. Paige then with a series of knees to Bella in the corner. Tamina tries to get back in the ring, but Paige hits her with a forearm to knock her back to the floor. Paige goes back to Bella, who kicks Paige away. Bella picks Paige up and slams her into the corner. She then runs her shoulder into Paige several times. Bella then puts Paige on the tope rope and Paige tries to fight Bella off. Bella goes for a superplex on Paige, but Tamina gets in and powerbombs them both off the top rope. Tamina covers Bella, but the referee was checking on Paige, so Tamina comes over and covers Paige. She only gets a two count. Tamina screams at the referee to count faster. She covers Bella again only to get another two count. Tamina with a corner whip to Bella. She then corner whips Paige into the same corner and goes to double splash them, but they both move out of the way and Tamina hits the turnbuckle hard. Bella with a knee lift to Tamina and Paige then hits Tamina with a superkick. Bella then slams Paige down. She gets a close two count on Paige. Bella grabs Paige, who rolls Bella up for a one count. Paige follows that up with a back kick to the stomach of Bella. Paige then hits a modified DDT for another two count. Paige screams to the crowd that this is her house. Paige then puts Bella in the PTO. Tamina comes in and superkicks Paige in the face. Tamina then hits the Samoan Drop on Bella. Tamina then goes up top and comes off with a Superfly Splash, but Bella rolls out of the way. Bella comes in with a forearm to Tamina to pin her and retain the Divas Championship.
-A feature on Brock Lesnar.
-Brock Lesnar vs. Kofi Kingston: Kingston out first and the crowd likes him, but they are absolutely mesmerized by Lesnar when he comes out. They show highlights from The Authority attacking Lesnar on Raw two weeks previously. Kingston wisely gets out of the ring when Lesnar gets in. He finally gets in and the bell rings. Kingston takes off around the ring and Lesnar following him. Kingston trying to use his quickness to his advantage. They get back in the ring and Kingston attacks Lesnar with kicks and punches and Lesnar responds by grabbing Kingston and hitting him with knees to the stomach. Lesnar drives Kingston into a corner and then corner whips him out of that corner. Kingston jumps to the top rope and does a reverse crossbody to Lesnar, who just catches him and puts him up on his shoulder, but Kingston slips behind Lesnar. He dropkicks Lesnar from behind and goes to splash Lesnar in the corner, but Lesnar just catches him. Lesnar turns Kingston around and hits him with a German suplex, but Kingston lands on his feet. Kingston off the corner turnbuckle with a dropkick to Lesnar. Kingston concentrating on the legs of Lesnar to try to get him down. Another dropkick to Lesnar, who does not go down. Kingston attacks again and Lesnar catches him and hits another two German suplexes. The crowd is in awe of Lesnar. Lesnar stalking Kingston and waits until he is almost up before hitting him with another German suplex. A Kofi chant goes out and Lesnar smirks and shakes his head no. Lesnar picks Kingston up and hits an F5 on Kingston and pins him. After the match, Lesnar hits another German suplex on Kingston. One more time goes out from the crowd, so Lesnar goes up and hits another F5 on Kingston. Big E and Xavier Woods come in to help Kingston and Lesnar takes them both out with clotheslines. F5 to Woods and then an F5 to Big E. Lesnar then looks at the fallen New Day and leaves the ring.
-Kevin Owens shown in the back getting ready to come out and defend his NXT title.
-Feature on Finn Balor, the success he has had in Japan, and his rivalry with Kevin Owens.
-NXT Championship Match. Kevin Owens vs. Finn Balor: Balor out first in his Demon persona. The fans are really into him. Owens comes out looking all business. Hideo Itami is shown in the crowd. The traditional Japanese flower ceremony happens before the match and as Brandi Rhodes introduces the competitors, Owens throws his flower bouquet out to the crowd. The fans throw streamers into the ring when Balor is introduced. The bell rings and Balor rushes out with a dropkick to Owens right away. Balor then goes up top looking to hit the Coup De Grace. Owens rolls out of the ring, so Balor hits him with a crossbody on the outside. Balor follows that up with a shot before throwing Owens back into the ring. Owens attacks Balor with punches and kicks when Balor gets back in the ring. An NXT chant goes out. Owens with an Irish whip. Balor ducks a clothesline attempt and Owens with a back elbow when Balor comes back. Balor reverses an Irish whip and goes for a dropkick, but Owens holds onto the ropes. Owens rolls to the outside, but Balor runs the ropes and hits Owens with a baseball slide. Balor then runs Owens into the barricade. He sits Owens in a chair at ringside and then puts Owens back in the ring. Balor with shots and chops to Owens in the ring. Back and forth in the middle of the ring. Owens with an Irish whip, but drops his head too early and Balor kicks him in the face. Balor with more shots and chops to Owens. Owens reverses an Irish whip attempt. Balor comes back with a crossbody, but Owens catches him in midair. Owens swings Balor around with a modified slam and gets a two count. Owens stomping Balor down on the mat. He then presses his boot down on Balor's chest. Balor up but hurting in the corner. Owens chopping Balor in the corner. Owens then kicks Balor. Owens blocks a shot from Balor and knocks Balor to the mat. More punches and kicks to Balor. Owens taunting the crowd. Owens with a corner whip and Balor hits the turnbuckle hard and goes down to the mat. Owens back to taunting the crowd. Balor coming back with some forearms to Owens. He runs the ropes, but Owens catches him with a back elbow. Owens gets a two count. Owens with a rear chin lock. Balor fights back to his feet. Forearms to Owens to break the hold. Owens responds with punches and a corner whip. Owens moves before the charge in. Balor out on the apron to do what looks like a springboard, but Owens hits him with a forearm to knock him down. Owens goes out after Balor and runs him into the ring steps. The referee starts counting Balor out. Balor gets back in the ring right before the 10 count. Owens with a back splash and he gets a two count. Owens picks Balor up and throws him back outside. Owens yells out for everybody to count Balor our. Balor gets back in the ring on the 7 count. Owens with a snap mare. Owens runs the ropes and Balor braces for a big hit, so Owens instead puts Balor in a headlock. Balor battling back to his feet. Owens drives him back down to the mat. Back and forth in the ring. Owens with an elbow shot to Balor. Balor with a reversal of an Irish whip. Owens comes back with a sunset flip. Balor rolls through and kicks Owens in the face. Balor with a kick and a forearm. He follows that up with a corner whip and a chop. Balor with a fist to Owens from the second rope and gets a two count. Exchanging shots in the middle of the ring. Owens ducks a shot and comes back with a shoulder block. Then another one. Owens mocking John Cena, who he has a match with for the United States title on Raw two weeks after this match. He does U Can't See Me and the 5 knuckle shuffle to Balor. Owens goes for the AA, but Balor slips out of it and hits Owens with a stomp to the chest. Balor with a chop, a corner whip, and another chop to Owens. Owens reverses another corner whip attempt and Balor goes to leap up to avoid the charge, but Owens catches him on his shoulders and goes for the AA. Balor slips behind, but Owens grabs him by the head and gets a snap mare. He then hits Balor with a forearm. Balor then hits a Claymore Kick out of nowhere to Owens and both men are down. Double count going. Both up and Owens rolls to the outside. Balor with a running cannonball over the top rope to Owens. Balor rolls Owens into the ring and goes up top as an NXT chant rings out. Balor with a double stomp to Owens from the top rope. Balor hits the Reverse Bloody Sunday for a close two count. Balor goes for the Coup De Grace, but Owens rolls away from it. Owens hits a German suplex. Owens with a cannonball splash to Balor in the corner and he gets a two count. Owens with a powerbomb for another two count. A this is awesome chant goes out. Owens with an Irish whip, but Balor holds on to the ropes. Owens charges him, but Balor gets his boot up and hits a sling blade to Owens. Balor goes up top, but Owens gets back to his feet and comes over to hang on to Balor's leg while he is on the top rope. Balor with fists to Owen's head to try to free himself. Owens responds with a headbutt that knocks Balor to the apron. Balor with a Pele kick to Owens and Balor goes back up top and hits the Coup De Grace on Owens. He gets an extremely close two count. A double count going. Balor up and grabs Owens and puts him in the corner and just pummels him with right and left hands. He tries to put Owens on the top rope and Owens is headbutting Balor trying to prevent it. Balor with several right hands and finally gets Owens on the top rope and climbs up. They trade shots from the top rope. Owens gets a front face lock and it looks like he is trying to suplex Balor to the outside from the top rope, but Balor slips out and hits another Pele kick to Owens. Balor goes back up to. Owens grabs him and delivers a senton to Balor from the top rope and he gets a close two count. Owens is visibly frustrated and he goes back up top and goes for a diving splash, but Balor gets his knees-up at the last second. Balor hits the 1916, but again Owens kicks out before the three count. Balor rushes Owens, who catches him with a kick. Owens with a big release suplex, but Balor again kicks out. Owens up and screaming you can't beat me to Balor. He starts slapping Balor as he says it over and over. Balor comes back with a slap of his own. Owens counters that with a kick to Balor. Owens with an Irish whip and goes for the pop up powerbomb, but Balor jumps over Owens and hits Owens with a clothesline. Balor with a running dropkick that drives Owens into the corner. Balor with a running dropkick to a seated Owens to knock him down to the mat. Balor goes back up top and hits another Coup De Grace to Owens. He then pins Owens to become the new NXT Champion. This was one hell of a match and among the very best wrestling matches that I have ever seen. The crowd loves it and Balor is presented with the belt. Tatsumi Fujinami comes out and congratulates Balor. Owens and Balor are face to face in the ring. The NXT chant goes out again. Balor puts his hand out, but Owens ignores it and just leaves the ring. Balor then celebrates with the fans.
-Highlights of Tatsumi Fujinami being honored the night before.
-Tag team match. King Barrett and Kane vs. Dolph Ziggler and John Cena: Cena comes out last and the crowd goes crazy when he comes out. Cena is the United States Champion here. Let's go Cena/Cena Sucks dueling chants go out even here in Japan. Ziggler and Barrett start. The bell rings and they circle each other. Ziggler goes for a single leg takedown. Barrett fights it, but Ziggler gets him down and gets a front face lock on. He turns Barrett over and gets a one count. Barrett with a go behind and a takedown. He covers for a one count of his own. Battling for position and Ziggler gets a hammerlock on. He gets Barrett back over for another one count. Ziggler with a side headlock. Barrett pushes off. Ziggler comes back with a shoulder block. Ziggler with a go behind and a roll up. He gets a two count. Ziggler with a dropkick. That only gets a one count. Ziggler with a front face lock and Barrett with some right hands to Ziggler's side to try and get out of the move. Barrett breaks the hold, grabs Ziggler, and tags Kane in. Barrett gets a front face lock and gets Ziggler down so Kane can take over with shots to Ziggler. Kane with an Irish whip, but Ziggler comes back and slides under Kane's legs. He tags Cena in and the dueling chants go out again. They lock up and Kane pushes Cena off. Another lock up and Kane pushes off again. Kane tells Cena to bring it. They go to lock up again, but Cena slips behind Kane and gets a side headlock on. Kane trying to break the hold, but Cena won't let go. Kane pushes off. Cena comes back with a shoulder block, but Kane doesn't move. Another shoulder block and again, Kane doesn't move. Cena goes for a third shoulder block and Kane knocks Cena down with a shot. Barrett tagged back in and attacks Cena with a flurry of shots in the corner. He beats Cena down and starts stomping him in the corner. Barrett with a knee to the midsection and a snap mare to Cena. He then gets a headlock on and Cena reaching for Ziggler, but he is a long way from the corner where he can tag. Cena gets to his feet and is reaching for the tag. Barrett jumps on Cena's back and Cena is starting to fade. Cena up and drives backwards into the turnbuckle to get Barrett off. Barrett goes over and tags Kane, who comes in and cuts Cena off from making the tag. Cena back up and Kane hits him with a right hand to knock him back down to the mat. Cena back up and hits Kane with a right hand to the stomach. Cena goes and tries to scoop slam Kane, who just falls on Cena. He gets a two count. Kane with a scoop slam. Cena up and Kane hits another scoop slam. Another two count. Kane goes for another scoop slam, but Cena slips behind Kane, knocks Barrett off the apron with a shot, and goes for Kane, who stops Cena cold with a right hand. He gets another two count. Kane brings Cena over to the corner and tags Barrett back in and Barrett starts stomping Cena down in the corner again. He gets Cena down and starts slamming the full weight of his body onto Cena's back. Cena reaching out towards his corner again, but Barrett won't let him tag. Barrett gets a two count. Barrett with a forearm to Cena and asking him what he had. More right hands to Cena, who starts to battle back. Cena gets Barrett to the corner. Barrett reverses a corner whip. Cena jumps up to avoid the charge, but Barrett catches his legs. He throws Cena up and kicks him in the midsection. Barrett with another two count. Barrett with a knee to the back and a headlock on Cena. The crowd gets behind Cena, who makes it back to his feet and reaches to tag Ziggler. Barrett not letting go of the hold through and Cena back to his knees. Barrett gets Cena down to the mat and referee Charles Robinson checking that Cena hasn't gone out. Cena battles back to his knees. He then gets back to his feet and is reaching for the tag. Barrett jumps on Cena's back to prevent him from tagging. Cena shifts Barrett on his back and hits an AA. Kane tagged in. He grabs Cena by the throat. Cena breaks the hold and gets Kane up on his shoulders to go for an AA, but Kane falls down on top of Cena. Kane gets a two count. Kane with a short clothesline to Cena. Kane then goes up top and clotheslines Cena from the top rope. He gets a two count and Kane can't believe that Cena keeps kicking out at two. Kane with a rear chin lock. Cena battles to his feet and kicks Kane several times. He breaks the hold, knocks Barrett off the apron, and walks into a side slam from Kane for a two count. Barrett tagged back in. Barrett with kicks and an elbow to Cena from the second rope. He gets another two count. Barret goes back to the second rope, but Cena moves when he goes for the elbow drop. Ziggler finally tagged in and hits a clothesline on Barrett. He follows that up with a big splash and a neck breaker. He drops an elbow and gets a two count on Barrett. He goes for a knee lift, Barrett pushes him away and Ziggler hits Kane to knock him down on the apron, but turns around and gets a big kick by Barrett to the face. Barrett gets a shoulder hold on and tags Kane back in. Kane kicking Ziggler over and over. He then kicks Ziggler to the outside. Kane goes out after Ziggler and dumps him on the barricade. Kane puts Ziggler on the apron and smacks Ziggler in the face. He gets a two count. Kane gets Ziggler up in a delayed vertical suplex as the crowd starts a let's go Ziggler chant. Kane gets another two count. Kane drags Ziggler over to the corner and tags Barrett in. Barrett runs Ziggler into the corner and then drapes him across the turnbuckle. He hits several forearms to Ziggler's back and kicks Ziggler off and gets another two count. Cena reaching for the tag. Barrett with a knee in Ziggler's back and pulling back on the arms. Ziggler battling back to his feet as Barrett gets him in a headlock. Ziggler with several shots to try and break the hold. Ziggler pushes off. Barrett looked to be going for the Winds of Change, but Ziggler twists all around and gets a crucifix on Barrett for a two count. Barrett with a big clothesline to Ziggler and both men down. Kane tagged in and covers Ziggler for a two count. Kane with a corner whip and clothesline. That gets another two count. Kane follows that up with a rear chin lock. Ziggler fighting not to go out. Ziggler battles back to his feet and hits Kane with a jaw breaker. Ziggler goes for the Zig Zag and Kane catches Ziggler and powerbombs him. He gets a close two count. Barrett tagged in. He chokes Ziggler on the second rope for a four count. He then ties Ziggler up in the ropes and hits a series of knees to him. He follows that up with a running kick to knock Ziggler to the outside. Robinson gets Barrett back, allowing Kane to sneak down and put the boots to Ziggler. Barrett then goes outside and runs Ziggler into the apron. Barrett then rolls Ziggler back to the inside. He gets another two count. Barrett with a rear chin lock to Ziggler. Ziggler battling back to his knees. Barrett cranks on the hold to drive Ziggler back down. The let's go Ziggler chant goes out again. Ziggler battles back to his feet and hitting Barrett with shots to the stomach to try to get out of the move. He kicks Barrett in the face. Barrett responds by hitting the Winds of Change. Another close two count. Barrett is frustrated and Kane is tagged in. Kane with kicks and chops to knock Ziggler down. Kane slams his entire weight down on Ziggler's back. Ziggler finally gets around and Kane slams down on his knees. Ziggler goes for the tag, but Kane cuts him off with a big boot and Barrett tagged back in. Barrett attacking Ziggler with right hands to the face while Ziggler is down on the mat. Barrett gets another two count. Barrett runs Ziggler into the corner and Kane tagged back in. Double clothesline and a back elbow by the heels and Kane gets another two count. Kane with a corner whip. Ziggler gets a back elbow when Kane charges. Ziggler goes for a double ax handle off the second rope, but Kane catches him and goes for the choke slam. Ziggler slides away from him and hits a DDT on Kane. Both men down and finally both Cena and Barrett tagged in. Cena with a shoulder block. Another one and a slam to Barrett. U Can't See Me. 5 knuckle shuffle. He goes for the AA, but Barrett pushes Cena off into Kane, who grabs Cena by the throat. He goes for the choke slam, but Cena pushes Kane into a kick by Ziggler. AA to Kane. Cena ducks a shot by Barrett, who then gets kicked by Ziggler. Barrett then gets an AA from Cena, who pins Barrett. The faces celebrate in the ring. The crowd gives them a great ovation. Cole and Saxton review the night before signing off from Tokyo.
-Final Thoughts: This was a fun little show. The crowd was great and really appreciative of the action. Recommended.