WWE Beast in the East 2015: Live Stream, WWE Network Start Time and Match Card

Tokyo is set to welcome a vengeance-seeking behemoth at WWE Beast in the East 2015.

On Saturday, July 4 at 5:30 a.m. ET, WWE will turn what would have been just an international house show into a major event. Brock Lesnar returns to in-ring action for the first time since losing the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania. The famed Ryogoku Sumo Hall will also host John Cena, Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens in the first WWE event to air live from Japan.

Injured NXT star Hideo Itami said he'll be in Tokyo as well:

This is the latest innovative move from the company to make the WWE Network more appealing. A live, exclusive event with marquee names and three titles on the line makes quite a sales pitch for the streaming service. 

With seven matches on the card and just a two-hour slot set aside for Beast in the East, it's not clear whether all the matches will air. Perhaps some of those bouts will be short.

Lesnar may devour his opponent in a single bite. 

Whatever he does in the ring on the Fourth of July, he will reportedly do it without his manager at his side. PWInsider.com's Mike Johnson reported, "When Brock Lesnar appears in Japan this weekend, he will be alone. Paul Heyman, who was initially set for the overseas tour, is no longer going."

Like the rest of us, Heyman may be watching the event at home via the WWE Network.

Live Stream Info

The event will air live on the WWE Network. In Japan, fans can catch it on J Sports. Elsewhere, the only option is the network.

New subscribers get one free month of service in July. The trial subscription includes Beast in the East as well as access to the WWE Network's original shows, weekly editions of NXT and a treasure trove of an on-demand archive. 

As WWE has beaten into its audience over the last year, $9.99 is the regular monthly rate. Beast in the East comes at no extra charge.

Beast in the East will stream live on the WWE Network via a variety of devices, including video game consoles, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Smart TVs. A full list of compatible devices is available on WWE.com.

While the WWE Network is available in over 140 countries, it hasn't yet reached the full expanse of the WWE Universe. German and Indian fans remain out of the loop. Visit the WWE Network help section to check availability around the world. 

Match Card

• The New Day vs. The Lucha Dragons
• Chris Jericho vs. Neville
• Cesaro vs. Diego
• Brock Lesnar vs. Kofi Kingston
• Nikki Bella vs. Naomi vs. Paige (Divas Championship)
• Finn Balor vs. Kevin Owens (NXT Championship)
• John Cena and Dolph Ziggler vs. King Barrett and Kane

Tag Team Clash

Big E and Xavier Woods already have a title shot lined up at Battleground. The Lucha Dragons can push their way into title contention and be a topic of conversation around the water cooler with a stellar performance, win or lose.

Sin Cara and Kalisto were hot imports from NXT at first. They have since been featured less, as The New Day and The Prime Time Players have been the division's preferred teams.

There's a lot of speed and athletic ability combined in this matchup. If it's not rushed, it could be plenty of fun.

Jericho vs. Neville 

Neville gets a crack at a future Hall of Famer. Jericho's current deal calls for him to only appear sporadically and only on house shows. With this live event suddenly becoming a de facto pay-per-view, more fans will see him in action this time around.

As he told Bleacher Report's Dan Pecoraro, Y2J lobbied to face Finn Balor in Japan:

Instead, he's getting another athletic dynamo in Neville. Fans will be happy with this alternative bout. Seeing this clash of generations, of two mat artists at work, promises to be something special.

Cesaro vs. Diego

If WWE is going to keep one of the night's matches off the air, this is the prime candidate to get that treatment.

Diego and Los Matadores have fallen off the WWE planet. The bullfighters have gone from low-rung acts to rarely being seen at all.

Cesaro has been on a roll of late, including a spectacular showing against Cena on Monday's Raw. This doesn't exactly scream "classic," though. Diego is no Cena. And WWE isn't going to give these two much time to work with; it will be a low priority, likely a cool-down match in between two bigger bouts.

Lesnar Returns 

Lesnar rarely wrestles. That and his electric aura make every one of his matches feel like special events.

That's the case here, even though Kingston is such an underdog in the situation that fans won't expect him to do much more than suffer. Kingston is a surprise pick to face Lesnar. The pairing creates a fresh matchup, but one that will presumably be a squash.

Still, seeing Lesnar in action for just the third time in 2015 is going to be hypnotizing. He makes tearing apart prey must-see theater.

Expect Lesnar to gear up for his Battleground title bout against Seth Rollins with a dominant performance. Expect Kingston to take an extended stay in Suplex City.

Divas Title Bout

Fans are set to witness a rematch from Elimination Chamber.

On that night, Nikki outlasted her two foes. Ever since then, she's been fending off both of them as her title reign continues to extend into historic territory.

Normally, titles don't usually change at house shows. With this being a live streamed event, though, the rules are likely to change. There is no Divas title bout set for Battleground, so shifting the belt here won't affect that upcoming card.

NXT Championship

It feels like WWE is either preparing to crown Balor or send him to the main roster. The last three editions of NXT have featured a three-part series on his background and career. He's been just as much a part of the advertisements for Beast in the East as Lesnar has.

Balor made his name in Japan. It was there, as Prince Devitt, that he proved himself to be a star capable of pulling off great matches. It is there that he has spent the bulk of his career.

He now returns to his second home with a great opportunity in front of him.

Owens has looked all but unbeatable during his NXT stint. Balor, however, pinned him in tag action on Wednesday's NXT. Adding to his tinge of vulnerability is how much Owens has on his plate.

He has to prep for both this title bout and a battle for the United States Championship at Battleground. Plus, there's a feud with Samoa Joe brewing.

Will he shake off all the distractions and beat Balor into the mat? Watching him try will be one of the night's highlights.

The Main Event 

As much as WWE has plugged Balor's and Lesnar's appearances at the event, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t WrestleZone) reported that Cena and Ziggler vs. Barrett and Kane will likely close the show.

Credit: WWE.com

At a standard house show, it's just this kind of match that serves as the main event. It features a lot of different Superstars, and usually the fan favorites go over to end the night on a high.

Throw out all the rules here, though. Like Elimination Chamber in Corpus Christi, Texas, earlier this year, this may have been a house show at first, but things have since changed. This is part of the WWE canon now, not some card that only a single arena of fans will see.

Titles may change hands, and heels will have a better shot at victory. The intrigue of how WWE presents this, along with Jericho and Lesnar making rare appearances, gives fans plenty of reason to wake up early and see what unfolds in Tokyo.