The SmackDown Women's Championship match kicked off with Bianca Belair defending her title against Bayley and inside Hell in a Cell for the first time in her young career.

The cerebral champion targeted her opponent's arm, bit her, used a kendo stick and a sunset flip powerbomb as she dominated the action. Belair absorbed it, fought back and tied her own hair to Bayley's wrist, making it easy to beat her around ringside without an easy escape.

Late in the bout, Bayley introduced a ladder that would prove her downfall. Belair avoided damage, delivered a senton to the lower back of her opponent, and finished The Role Model off with the K.O.D. on the open ladder for the definitive victory.

Belair defeated Bayley to retain

Kudos to Belair and Bayley for delivering a match that was innovative and creative, inside a steel structure that has been anything but in recent years. Whether it was The Role Model's taped kendo sticks, the tying of Belair's hair to the ropes and a steel chair, or The EST's emphatic finisher, there was a ton to love about this contest.

Bayley looked like the cerebral, smart and focused former champion she is while Belair's toughness again was on full display. She fought from underneath, proved her resilience and earned another hard-fought victory to preserve her title reign.

The question now is where this leaves both women moving forward.

Bayley is almost certainly out of the title picture after a second loss to Belair, especially given the exclamatory finish here. Could a program with Liv Morgan that helps elevate her be in the cards? There aren't a ton of fresh faces for her to work with on SmackDown otherwise, unless the creative team renews her rivalry with a returning Sasha Banks.

As for Belair, she also faces uncertainty due to a lack of credible opponents. Lately, we have seen renewed interest in Carmella by the creative staff. Could she be in line for a showdown with The EST?

Whatever the case may be, Belair figures to hold onto the blue brand title for the foreseeable future, especially given the effort put into building her by those in power.

Performances like this one will only intensify those efforts.