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The Nov. 17 edition of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix showcased Cena's ultimate appearance on the show as an active wrestler. It also experienced the comeback and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their individual groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the excitement were surprises like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden event, the attention was taken by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Event: Lil Yachty and His Handheld Device

Regardless of everything that went down on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Is it because of society's undying love for Sony's mobile device? Might it be because people fondly remember the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans aren't interested in the more recent 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Game

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the franchise's debut on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain PlayStation-exclusive. The game transitioned the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, steering clear of the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum gauge that governed the flow of a match, replacing the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could decide to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a stamina mechanic that diminished as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the best-selling PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Evolution of the Line

The franchise began with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and carried on as an annual release, excluding in 2021. It remained a exclusive to PlayStation until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which expanded the franchise to additional platforms. In 2013, the series was renamed as WWE 2K, beginning with WWE 2K14.

Innovations and Unique Content

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and felt like an progression of titles from the N64 era, because of upgraded graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that impression only strengthened as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features features not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three exclusive side games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," tests players with 500 wrestling questions encompassing 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 direct Eugene (whose character is being an intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Sentiment and Heritage

The earlier SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very whacky, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward complete simulations with the 2K games, lacking the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also functioned as snapshots of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.

Perhaps fans are sentimental for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the delight of seeing a celebrity celebrating the greatness of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks cheer for Yachty. Or perhaps SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was really that great, and mirrors an similarly great era of wrestling, one that was led by John Cena, who will bow out from in-ring competition on the 13th of December, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.