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The November 17 episode of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix featured Cena's last appearance on the program as an active wrestler. Additionally saw the comeback and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their respective groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the thrills were shockers like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri claim the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden event, the focus was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Event: Lil Yachty and His Handheld Device

Regardless of everything that went down on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Is it because of society's lasting love for Sony's mobile device? Is it 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 Title

If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the franchise's first appearance on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to PlayStation. The game moved the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, departing from the fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum gauge that dictated the flow of a match, taking the place of the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could opt to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a endurance feature that drained as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the best-selling PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Progression of the Franchise

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

Gameplay and Special Elements

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and seemed like an evolution of titles from the N64 era, because of improved graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that feeling only strengthened as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds modes not found on its PS2 version, including three unique minigames available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," quizzes 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 persona is being an special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Nostalgia and Heritage

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward total simulations with the 2K games, lacking the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also acted as reminders of some of our cherished eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are sentimental for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the pleasure of seeing a celebrity honoring the excellence of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks applaud Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and reflects an just as great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will bow out from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.