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The 17th of November installment of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix included Cena's ultimate performance on the program as an competing wrestler. It also experienced the comeback and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their respective groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the excitement were unexpected moments like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri claim the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the focus was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Moment: Lil Yachty and His PSP

Regardless of everything that went down on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Might it be because of pop culture's enduring love for Sony's mobile device? Is it because people nostalgically recall the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the newer 2K games?

Delving Into SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Game

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the series' first appearance on the PSP and was the ultimate entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game shifted the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, moving away from the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum gauge that controlled 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 endurance feature that drained as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the best-selling PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Evolution of the Line

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

Innovations and Special Elements

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and appeared as an advancement of titles from the N64 era, because of upgraded graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that impression only heightened as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes features not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three unique side games 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, at times using audio clips or video snippets. The other two minigames are a poker game and "Eugene’s Airplane," where players direct Eugene (whose gimmick is being an special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Heritage

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward full-on simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the innovative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also functioned as reminders of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are sentimental for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the pleasure of seeing a celebrity honoring the excellence of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks cheer for Yachty. Alternatively SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and mirrors 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.