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The November 17 edition of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix featured Cena's ultimate appearance on the program as an active wrestler. It also saw the reappearance and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their individual groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the action were shockers like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden event, the attention was taken by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Moment: Lil Yachty and His PSP

Despite everything that went down on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Might it be because of pop culture's lasting love for Sony's handheld console? Could it be because people fondly remember the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans aren't interested in the newer 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Release

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the franchise's debut on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game shifted the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum bar that controlled the flow of a match, substituting for the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could choose to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a stamina system that drained as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the most popular PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Progression of the Line

The series commenced with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and continued as an annual release, aside from in 2021. It remained a PlayStation exclusive until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which expanded the franchise to further platforms. In 2013, the series was renamed as WWE 2K, starting with WWE 2K14.

Gameplay and Special Content

In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and seemed like an evolution of titles from the N64 era, due to enhanced graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that impression only heightened as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes features not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three unique mini-games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," challenges players with 500 wrestling questions covering everything from music and finishers to history and feuds, occasionally using audio clips or video snippets. The other two minigames are a poker game and "Eugene’s Airplane," where players steer Eugene (whose character is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Nostalgia and Impact

The earlier SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise moved toward total simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also functioned as snapshots of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.

It's possible fans are sentimental for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the pleasure of seeing a celebrity paying tribute to the brilliance of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks clamor for Yachty. Alternatively SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and represents an equally great era of wrestling, one that was led by John Cena, who will bow out from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.