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The Nov. 17 installment of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix featured Cena's final appearance on the program as an active wrestler. It also experienced the reappearance and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their respective groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the thrills were unexpected moments like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. 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, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Moment: Lil Yachty and His Handheld Device

Despite everything that transpired on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Could it be because of pop culture's lasting 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 aren't interested in the newer 2K games?

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

For those who don't know, 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 exclusive to PlayStation. The game moved the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, steering clear of the fast-paced 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 choose to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a stamina mechanic that diminished as matches grew more intense; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the top-selling PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Progression of the Franchise

The line began with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and persisted as an yearly release, except in 2021. It remained a PlayStation exclusive until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which brought the franchise to further platforms. In 2013, the series was renamed as WWE 2K, beginning with WWE 2K14.

Innovations and Exclusive Modes

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and felt like an advancement of titles from the N64 era, due to upgraded graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that feeling only heightened as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds modes not found on its PS2 version, including three unique side games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," challenges players with 500 wrestling questions encompassing 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 direct Eugene (whose persona is being an intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Sentiment and Heritage

The older SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise moved toward full-on simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the innovative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as snapshots of some of our cherished eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are sentimental for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the pleasure of seeing a celebrity honoring the brilliance 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 represents an just as great era of wrestling, one that was ruled by John Cena, who will step away from in-ring competition on the 13th of December, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.