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The November 17 installment of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix included John Cena's ultimate appearance on the program as an active wrestler. Additionally witnessed the reappearance and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their respective groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the thrills were unexpected moments like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden show, the attention was taken by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Moment: The Rapper and His PSP

In spite of everything that went down on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Might it be because of pop culture's undying love for Sony's handheld console? Might it be because people fondly remember the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans aren't interested in the more recent 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Title

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the franchise's introduction 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 fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum gauge that controlled the flow of a match, taking the place of the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could opt to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a stamina mechanic that decreased as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the top-selling PlayStation 2 entry in the entire series.

Development of the Series

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

Innovations and Unique Content

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and felt like an progression of titles from the N64 era, due to improved graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that feeling only heightened as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features features not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three exclusive mini-games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," quizzes 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 persona is being an intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Sentiment and Legacy

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very whacky, even when they sought 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 acted as reminders of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are longing for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the delight of seeing a celebrity celebrating the greatness 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 similarly great era of wrestling, one that was ruled by John Cena, who will step away from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.