The opening video focuses on the NXT Championship match tonight (which I reviewed (here) and of course, the return of Brock Lesnar since Wrestlemania 31. Michael Cole welcomes us, wishing us a happy 4th July morning due to timezones. Chris Jericho makes his entrance first, he's really popular in Japan with Michael Cole shouting over the reaction to be heard. Byron Saxton joins him on commentary. Neville makes his entrance with a cape as Cole pays him a compliment through gritted teeth.
CHRIS JERICHO VS. NEVILLE
WWE Beast in the East (4th July 2015)
Chris Jericho soaks in the Y2J chants before they lock up, he sends Neville back into the corner, the referee counts Neville on the ropes and Jericho breaks it clean. Jericho gets a waistlock as Cole and Saxton talk about his career in Japan. A standing switch by Neville is countered with an arm wringer. Neville is forced down to one knee but he athletically counters as he finally gets some credit, but only to plug the NXT Championship match later. Neville sweeps Jericho's leg but Jericho immediately kicks out. Neville backflips over Jericho's attempt and dropkicks him in the face. Chris Jericho rolls outside and takes a walk. Jericho gets back in the ring in his time and locks up with Neville. Neville is taken down in a waistlock and Jericho wrenches back on his ankles and neck. Jericho modifies it to a surfboard type move but Neville is able to jump free, landing on Jericho for a cover but Jericho immediately kicks out again before they both get to their feet. The fans applaud the wrestlers for their match so far, so they take a breather.
They lock up again with Neville getting an arm wringer but Jericho rolls through as Cole finally mentions Neville's time in Dragon Gate too (although admittedly the fact that they got a mention was progressive for WWE.) Jericho drops Neville down to the mat, he gets to his feet but Jericho locks it in tighter so he goes back to his knees. Neville finally counters, willed on by the crowd and assisted by the top rope but gets sent over to the floor from a clothesline. Neville slides back in the ring as Jericho teases a dive. Neville gets back in the ring, hitting Jericho with a running dropkick and sends him out of the ring. Jericho cuts off Neville's dive and sends him over the top rope. Neville lands on the apron and a triangle dropkick sends him down to the floor. The referee starts counting Neville out but Jericho exits the ring and goes on the attack, sending Neville into the apron. Jericho chops his chest and sends Neville back in the ring. Chris Jericho climbs to the top rope hitting a crossbody for a nearfall.
Jericho locks in a sleeper, Neville tries to get to his feet but is sent back to the mat, Jericho pulls on Neville's hair and keeps him on the mat as the fans aren't sure who to root for. Neville gets to his feet and strikes free. Scratch that as Jericho stops his momentum with a boot to the gut, but Neville rolls through for a nearfall. Chris Jericho hits an enziguri for a nearfall of his own and Neville goes to the corner as Michael Cole talks about twitter. Jericho slaps Neville and drags him to his feet, chopping the chest for “wooo”s from the Japanese crowd. Neville reverses an irish whip but runs into a back elbow. Jericho's cocky step on chest cover gets 1. He snapmares Neville down, kicking the small of the back before going back to a sleeper. Neville tries to mount a comeback but Jericho knees him in the gut. Jericho chops the chest and sends Neville across the ring. Neville baseball slides under Jericho and hits a combination of kicks. A running boot misses and Jericho lands on the apron as Neville tries to send him out of the ring. Neville doesn't notice Jericho on the top rope before he gets hit with an axe handle. Chris Jericho hits a running bulldog and trips Neville but Neville is able to power out of the Walls of Jericho.
Neville knocks Jericho into the corner and kicks at him. Chris Jericho slumps down in the corner, getting sent across the ring as he gets to his feet but he cuts Neville off with a back elbow. Neville kicks Jericho again and leaps to the top rope RVD style but Jericho crotches him. Chris Jericho climbs to the top rope but Neville blocks a superplex and sends Jericho down to the mat. Neville climbs to the top rope but Jericho rolls out of the way of a Red Arrow attempt, Neville lands on his feet and rolls through but Jericho counters a jumping hurricanrana into a Walls of Jericho! It's genuinely the most brutal Walls of Jericho I've seen, Neville's folded in half as he desperately grabs the rope to break it. Jericho stomps on Neville until the referee tells him to back off. Jericho charges as Neville uses the ropes to stand but Neville sidesteps him and dumps him out to the floor. Neville flies out of the ring onto Jericho with a twisting plancha leaving them both down on the floor!
Neville makes it to his feet and brings Jericho back into the ring. Chris Jericho gets up before Neville can get in position for a Red Arrow so he changes tactic to a springboard dropkick. Neville hits a standing shooting star press (well, a couple of steps run-up) for a close nearfall. Neville brings Jericho up to his knees, hitting stiff chops and kicks. Neville picks up some speed into a forearm shot by Jericho, he follows up with some more but Neville reverses an irish whip. Chris Jericho holds on to the ropes and there's no one there for Neville's dropkick leaving him in position for Jericho to hit the lionsault. Chris Jericho covers for another 2. He talks trash to Neville and sends him into the corner but runs into a boot. Neville gets to apron the Neville way and springboards back in the ring into a Codebreaker! Jericho is slow to cover so Neville kicks out at 2 again. Chris Jericho lays in ground and pound before beating Neville around the ring. Neville blocks a german suplex, getting a standing switch to hit one of his own. Neville hits a superkick and the second one to Jericho on his knees. Neville climbs to the top rope and hits the Red Arrow onto Jericho's knees! Chris Jericho locks in a Liontamer and Neville has to tap.
WINNER: CHRIS JERICHO
Chris Jericho gave Neville a lot in this match and tried to get the fans to hate him, but the Japanese fans weren't biting. They did bite on all the nearfalls, really believing that Neville could pick up the upset in this one-off special. If I remember right though Chris Jericho was starting to lose his lustre around this time, almost needing the win more than Neville at this point. They had a fun hard fought match and I wish they could have had a decent program on television. – WORKRATE: 2.75/5 PERSONAL ENJOYMENT 3/5 OVERALL 5.75/10
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