WWE SmackDown results: John Cena return match confirmed; unexpected end to title match, former champ returns

We got a great episode of WWE SmackDown tonight, with some big matches confirmed for Crown Jewel and a title match in the main event.

Montez Ford def. Santos Escobar
Grayson Waller & Austin Theory def. Cameron Grimes & Dragon Lee
IYO SKY def. Charlotte to retain the WWE Women's Championship

Paul Heyman kicked off WWE SmackDown and praised Jimmy Uso for interfering with Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso's tag title match on RAW.

He brought up Crown Jewel and said Roman Reigns would face LA Knight at the event and crush him.

Knight came out and said that he should be talking to Roman Reigns face-to-face. Paul tried to escape the ring, but LA threatened him and said he was like Michael Myers from the Halloween movies - he would always return.

Knight told Heyman to tell Roman whose game it is before the contract signing next week.

WWE SmackDown Results (October 20, 2023): Montez Ford vs. Santos Escobar

Ford had control of the match early on before getting a near fall off a splash. Escobar came back with kicks but was sent into the corner and tossed outside.

Santos returned to the ring and hit a bulldog before taking Ford down with more kicks and a dive. Ford got the rollup before picking up the sudden win.

Result: Montez Ford def. Santos Escobar

The Street Profits beat Escobar up after the match, and Carlito rushed out to make the save.

Grade: B-

LWO was backstage, and Rey Mysterio wanted to confront Logan Paul before we got a video package from the Pretty Deadly in the spa, but the Brawling Brutes showed up and ruined their day.

Jimmy Uso gloated about costing his brother the tag titles to Heyman and Solo Sikoa before we headed back to the ring.

John Cena was out next on SmackDown and said after talking about Roman's streak he had a streak of his own. It has been 2002 days since he had won a televised singles match, the last win being in 2018.

Cena said he could still win and would challenge anyone foolish enough to walk out to ringside.

Solo Sikoa attacked John Cena with the help of Jimmy Uso before a masked man came out to help the WWE legend.

The masked individual turned out to be Jey Uso, and he sent Jimmy into the timekeeper's area with a superkick. Cena hit Solo with the AA back in the ring before SmackDown moved on.

Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis were backstage with Jey Uso, and they fined Jey $ 10,000 for showing back up on SmackDown and had him escorted out of the arena.

Logan Paul was out next and was bragging about his boxing match before calling Rey Mysterio a coward who hides behind a mask. He wanted the United States Championship at Crown Jewel and was willing to beat up Rey for it.

Mysterio came out and compared Logan to his son Dominik and said they both had big mouths. However, Rey won't hesitate to beat Logan like he hesitated with Dom and agreed to the match at Crown Jewel.

The two men shook hands and walked away without causing a brawl for once before we headed for the next match.

Grayson Waller & Austin Theory vs. Cameron Grimes & Dragon Lee on WWE SmackDown

Austin and Lee kicked off the match, and tags were made early before Grimes and Lee sent their opponents outside and into the ringpost.

Back in the ring, Grimes and Theory took each other out with Crossbodies as Waller took out Lee at ringside and sent him into the timekeeper's area.

Waller headed inside the ring and hit the rolling Cutter on Grimes before Austin hit the A-Town Down before picking up the win.

Result: Grayson Waller & Austin Theory def. Cameron Grimes & Dragon Lee

Grade: C

Kevin Owens was in an interview and said that he was disappointed with their tag title loss, but there were still many things he needed to achieve as a singles competitor.

IYO SKY (c) vs. Charlotte - WWE Women's Championship match on SmackDown

Charlotte was sent into the corner and outside before IYO followed her with a big dive.

Back in the ring, Charlotte tried for the Figure Eight but was sent back outside, where she reversed a dive and dropped SKY face-first on the apron.

Back after a break on SmackDown, IYO hit a powerbomb from the top rope for a near fall. Charlotte came back with a German Suplex before catching the champ of a dive and hitting a fallaway slam from the top rope.

Charlotte got a big spear after the Boston Crab hold was broken, but Bayley put IYO's foot on the rope to break the three-count. Charlotte attacked Bayley and Dakota at ringside and took them out, but IYO used the distraction to hit Charlotte with the title belt and pick up the win.

Result: IYO SKY def. Charlotte to retain the WWE Women's Championship

Damage CTRL attacked Flair after the match before Bianca Belair came back and made the save. The EST hit Bayley with the KOD after clearing the ring before SmackDown went off the air.

Grade: B+