Did Biker Undertaker ruin it for you?

[Lady Redfield]

Keeping up the same gimmick for so long can definitely be tough to do, it's just bound to get stale, yet, many wrestlers did keep their gimmicks pretty much their entire careers and still retained success and fans. When it comes to the Undertaker, he made a bold decision to change it up and snatch a biker gimmick. Although many enjoyed the change, how did you feel about it? Did it change the way you felt/thought of the Undertaker?

It's clear it didn't hurt his career, just wondering if the change was bold enough to not really think of the Undertaker (talking the regular Undertaker gimmick) quite the same way, sort of in the same sense as how Kane removed his mask, something that was a staple of his persona.

 

[Kross Rhodes]

Biker Taker saved him for me. I think I would grown frustrated with his gimmick in 2001 if he was still a dead man.

Much like how I'm of the few that hated him going back to being a dead zombie wizard in 2004.

 

[Cwalker]

The gimmick didn’t hurt him. 2001 did IMO. He was outta shape; put on more weight than he was accustomed to working at and wasn’t really having good matches.

The American Badass gimmick was a breath of fresh air because 1) in an era where the company was going for realism, the zombie mortician would’ve run its course and 2) Mark Calloway himself was ready for a change. Evolution has always been one of the staples for his success and longevity.

Just try and forget that one bad year.

 

[Bobby Barrows]

I prefer Big Evil taker over American Bad Ass tbheston.

 

[Hidden Blaze]

Biker Taker was my favorite Taker. Was really great stuff

 

[Hoss]

Not at all.

 

[Kross Rhodes]

I prefer Big Evil taker over American Bad Ass tbheston.

When I say I prefer Biker Taker I'm mainly talking about Big Evil.

 

[Lady Redfield]

Taker was definitely safe enough to do a 180 and get away with it without anyone turning away.

Kane taking off his mask ruined his gimmick for me and I didn't like him anymore. That's probably weak, but, I enjoyed the 'mystery' of Kane. I know he was Issac Yankem before, I fucking hated that gimmick so much, so, Kane was a great upgrade, but, removing the mask was just Yankem wearing Kane's outfit. Putting the mask back on was just useless, it wasn't the same for me.

 

[Hoss]

One of my favorite things Kane did was that feud where he repeatedly attempted to murder Shane McMahon which was after he had the mask off so, for that, massless Kane gets a pass from me.

Putting the mask back on was pretty dumb but at that point, I guess it was more of a stylistic choice. At least they didn't try to frame it like "Kane got his faced burned up AGAIN so now he's back under the mask". And I mean, if I'm handing out passes, re-masked Kane was in Team Hell No so I gotta give that a pass too.

 

[Chris]

The gimmick didn’t hurt him. 2001 did IMO. He was outta shape; put on more weight than he was accustomed to working at and wasn’t really having good matches.

The American Badass gimmick was a breath of fresh air because 1) in an era where the company was going for realism, the zombie mortician would’ve run its course and 2) Mark Calloway himself was ready for a change. Evolution has always been one of the staples for his success and longevity.

Just try and forget that one bad year.

I don't have to make a post anymore bc these are my thoughts exactly. I REALLY fucking hate 01 Taker as everyone found out in the SummerSlam 01 watch along last week

 

[Bobby Barrows]

I don't have to make a post anymore bc these are my thoughts exactly. I REALLY fucking hate 01 Taker as everyone found out in the SummerSlam 01 watch along last week

Hard to believe that Taker went from:



To being one of the most lazy and least liked performers of 2001.

 

[Apoho Creed]

Taker going from the Deadman to The Biker Taker was needed by 2001. Taker from his beginnings to even 1998/1999 was a great evolution and he did his thing once again embracing more of himself outside of the Ring with the change. It's crazy you guys are bringing up Kane and whether he should of kept the Mask on or not, because I had plans to make a Thread on that Topic. I dug no Mask Kane in 2003 and I think it was one of the highest Rated Segments for Raw, just didn't like when they went back to the Mask years later. They should of had Kane get burned or hurt somehow to his Mask warranting the Mask going back on, but WWE never likes to think that hard with backgrounds.

 

[Crippler]

naw cause that music, but 2002 Taker

 

[Benoit's Weight Machine]

The Biker gimmick revitalized a very stale character. He needed to change with the times. Quite frankly, he should have done it earlier because he was really out of place in 96-97.

 

[Chris]

Tbh I don't really agree that the Deadman gimmick was "stale" bc he had already reinvented that. I think it was still a needed change just from the culture change that was happening still but not really bc of staleness of the Deadman gimmick, but I do still agree the change should have happened regardless so it's just a little nitpick.