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The 17th of November installment of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix featured John Cena's final performance on the show as an competing wrestler. It also witnessed 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 thrills were unexpected moments like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the spotlight was taken by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Incident: Lil Yachty and His PSP

Regardless of everything that transpired on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Could it be because of society's undying love for Sony's portable system? Is it because people cherish the memory of the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans aren't interested in the latest 2K games?

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

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the series' introduction on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game transitioned the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, departing from the fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum meter that controlled the flow of a match, replacing 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; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the top-selling PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Progression of the Franchise

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

Features and Special Content

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and seemed like an progression of titles from the N64 era, due to enhanced graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that impression only strengthened as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes modes not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three special mini-games 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 direct Eugene (whose character is being an special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Nostalgia and Heritage

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

It's possible fans are nostalgic for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps 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. Or perhaps SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and reflects an similarly great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will retire from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.