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The 17th of November episode of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix showcased Cena's last performance on the show as an competing wrestler. It also experienced the reappearance and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their individual groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the action were shockers like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri claim the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a crowded Madison Square Garden spectacle, the focus was taken by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Incident: Lil Yachty and His PSP

Regardless of everything that transpired on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Might it be because of society's lasting love for Sony's mobile device? Is it because people cherish the memory of the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans don't care for the more recent 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Title

If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the franchise's debut on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to PlayStation. The game transitioned the franchise toward more realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum meter that controlled the flow of a match, replacing the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could opt 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 finally became the most popular PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Development of the Franchise

The line commenced with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and persisted as an regular release, excluding 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 relabeled as WWE 2K, beginning with WWE 2K14.

Features and Unique Modes

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and felt like an progression of titles from the N64 era, thanks to enhanced graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that impression only heightened as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were steadily introduced.

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

Nostalgia and Heritage

The earlier SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise moved toward full-on simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also acted as snapshots of some of our favorite eras of wrestling.

Perhaps fans are sentimental for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the delight of seeing a celebrity honoring the greatness of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks applaud Yachty. Or perhaps SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and mirrors an similarly great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will step away from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.