Source: The Wrestling Observer Newsletter
The WWE Beast In The East Network broadcast was promoted as a big deal and what could be a PPV / live event hybrid of sorts.
The show was promoted around Brock Lesnar’ Japan return and the NXT Championship match, including video profiles on new NXT champion Finn Balor, but the whole thing was almost a fluke, eventhough successful.
We reported Brock Lesnar agreed to the show because he had already wanted to travel to Japan, but Balor’s title win was a result of Kevin Owens being promoted to the main WWE roster. It was already known Owens would have to lose the title, and WWE wanted to do it in Japan where Balor already had a huge following (as Prince Devitt) instead of another live special at Full Sail University. Between Balor’s big win and Lesnar’s addition, WWE wanted to make it more than “just a live event” for the Japanese fans.
As far as promoting the match card, WWE did so on Japanese television, but not on US TV or WWE Network. The event itself was promoted, but not many other details as far as who would be on the card, including Chris Jericho vs Neville and John Cena teaming with Dolph Ziggler against Kane and Bad News Barrett. Additionally, two matches weren’t even broadcast on the show, which featured Cesaro versus Diego of Los Matadores, and Lucha Dragons defeating The New Day.
