Wednesday Night Main Event - Main Event recap for January 2, 2013

It is announced that WWE doctor Michael Sampson has evaluated the surgically repaired knee of CM Punk to determine if Punk will be cleared to face Ryback in a TLC Match on next week's Raw, and that the results of that evaluation will be revealed later tonight.

We see a video package of Antonio Cesaro. Cesaro then shows up calls the video package of him from earlier "nothing" and "a bad music video put together in minutes to awful music" before comparing this to the state of American television. He asks where the nuance, the orchestra and the sophistication, then The Miz tells him to stop with the weekly sob story and leave America if he does not like it. Michel Cole then tells Cesaro that he has yet to beat a man like the opponent he has tonight: The Great Khali. We then see a video package for The Great Khali.

Backstage, Matt Striker is about to interview The Great Khali when Hornswoggle shows up and says that Antonio Cesaro can kiss the United States title goodbye. Natalya shows up and says that she believes in Khali, who reminds her of her uncle Bret "The Hit" Man Hart before asking a ton of questions. Khali tells them to stop and that they stress too much, then the three of them head to the ring while chanting "USA." Back in the ring, Antonio Cesaro takes in the "USA" by stating that he is United States Champion and that the USA is "The United States of Antonio."

Antonio Cesaro retains the WWE United States Championship against The Great Khali after managing to get Khali up for the Neutralizer. After the match, Matt Striker interviews Cesaro in the ring. Cesaro says this is not about him hating the United States of America; this is about him being superior to American fans, as America is the land of opportunity for him to grab whatever he wants and there is nothing anybody can do about it because the people are soft. He says that if "the pudgy little chipmunk" that is The Miz has a problem with that, then he can face him in the ring like a man. The Miz tells Cesaro to watch who he is talking to, or else his reign will end prematurely like his baldness. Cesaro says he has beaten a giant, and that The Miz only cares about his looks and that The Miz disgusts him. The Miz says that instead of making fun of him, he is going to educate him, as Cesaro doesn't know the first thing about USA and that there is not a land with tougher and more resilient people. He even goes on to say that even people who hate him agree with him, because Americans come together when "Eurotrash" like Cesaro show up to put the country down.

We hear from WWE doctor Michael Sampson, who announces that CM Punk is clear for competition on Raw.

Kofi Kingston guests on commentary for the next match. He calls Wade Barrett's championship win against a "one-time thing" and that he will beat him for the WWE Intercontinental Championship again on SmackDown. Wade Barrett shows up and takes offense to those comments, and Kofi says that while he respects him as a competitor, he made a mistake in that match that he will not make again, as the title is a part of him and he has to have it back, for the title means something when he holds it above his head. Barrett responds by saying that "mediocrity won" when Kofi held the title, and says that the title should be held by someone with a little more prestige who is a real fighter and not a "overhyped gymnast." Barrett says he comes from a long line of fighters, and says that Kofi will never get the title from him because of it. He then says he is so confident in his abilities that he will face anybody in a gauntlet match to prove that everyone falls to the Barrett Barrage.

Wade Barrett beats Yoshi Tatsu, JTG and Justin Gabriel, but loses to surprise gauntlet match entrant Kofi Kingston.

Next week: Sheamus vs. Dolph Ziggler!