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The Nov. 17 installment of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix featured Cena's last performance on the show as an competing wrestler. Additionally saw the return and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their respective groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the action were unexpected moments like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a crowded Madison Square Garden event, the spotlight was taken by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Incident: The Rapper and His PSP

In spite of everything that happened on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Might it be because of pop culture's enduring love for Sony's portable system? Is it because people cherish the memory of the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans don't care for the more recent 2K games?

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

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the franchise's introduction 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, moving away from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum meter 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 system that drained as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the best-selling PlayStation 2 entry in the entire series.

Development of the Line

The franchise began with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and carried on as an annual release, aside from in 2021. It remained a exclusive to PlayStation until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which brought the franchise to other platforms. In 2013, the series was relabeled as WWE 2K, commencing with WWE 2K14.

Innovations and Special Content

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and appeared as an progression of titles from the N64 era, due to upgraded graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that impression only heightened as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes features not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three exclusive minigames available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," challenges 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 guide Eugene (whose character is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Sentiment and Heritage

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

It's possible fans are sentimental for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the joy of seeing a celebrity paying tribute to the greatness of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks cheer for Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was really that great, and represents an just as great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will retire from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.