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The Nov. 17 installment of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix included Cena's final appearance on the show as an competing wrestler. It also experienced the comeback and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their individual groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the action were surprises like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a crowded Madison Square Garden show, the focus was taken by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Moment: The Rapper and His PSP

Regardless of everything that transpired on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Might it be because of the public's undying love for Sony's portable system? Could it be because people nostalgically recall the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans don't care for the latest 2K games?

Delving Into SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Title

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented 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 more realism and authenticity, moving away from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum bar that governed 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; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the best-selling PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Evolution of the Line

The line commenced with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and continued as an annual release, except 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 rebranded as WWE 2K, starting with WWE 2K14.

Gameplay and Exclusive Modes

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and felt like an evolution of titles from the N64 era, due to improved graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that sensation only heightened as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds elements not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three special minigames available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," tests players with 500 wrestling questions including everything from music and finishers to history and feuds, sometimes 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 intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Legacy

The earlier SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward total simulations with the 2K games, lacking the innovative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also functioned as time capsules of some of our cherished eras of wrestling.

Perhaps fans are longing for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the pleasure of seeing a celebrity celebrating the brilliance of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks cheer for Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and mirrors an just as great era of wrestling, one that was dominated 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.