Would You Like It If The American Bad Ass Were Still Around?

[Lockard 23]

Anyone who knows anything about the Undertaker immediately knows that I'm of course referring to the more human, Biker incarnation of the character that first debuted at Judgment Day 2000 and who was then 'killed off' at Survivor Series 2003. This version of his character was more human and much closer to his real-life personality as well. He walked, talked and acted like a normal human being, he rode a motorcycle, he had a wife, he didn't speak in tongue or give cryptic-like promos, he incorporated stuff from MMA/UFC into his moveset (due to his love for the sport), etc.... all of this as opposed to being the more mysterious and enigmatic version of him that we all know as The Dead Man/The Phenom/Lord Of Darkness/etc.

Being honest, I do like the Dead Man version of Taker better but looking back at the Undertaker since his return to his original form in '04, I'd also argue that it would have made just as much sense (if not more) for his American Bad Ass character to have stuck around. For example, as the Biker Taker, he used to regularly talk about the ring being "his yard" and how he would make anyone who stepped into his yard famous. Doesn't this go along well with people challenging him every year for his immortal Wrestlemania streak? It fits right in with people continuously trying to make a name for themselves by being the one to finally knock off Taker at Mania and end the streak. Take his feud with Punk last year as another example. Punk's heel character in 2012 and 2013 was one who delusionally believed he deserved respect more than anyone else in the company and being that Biker Taker was all about respect and how it has to be earned, that aspect of it could have played a very vital part in the WM29 rivalry between them. There's other examples but I don't want to ramble on too long. Point is, Taker's ABA character would have fit in well these past several years, and I know there are many out there who love the gimmick just as much if not more than the Dead Man character.

Anyway, simple question - would you have minded (or maybe even preferred) if the Undertaker had stuck with his American Bad Ass character all these years?

 

[Dolph'sZiggler]

it didn't make sense to go back to the deadman IMO. I've never been crazy about 'the deadman' after the other gimmicks, not that it wasn't great initially

Cult leader MOD taker > biker > deadman

 

[Lockard 23]

I think he went back to it largely because it was around that period that he first started considering retirement and some felt he just wanted to have one last run with the old gimmick before hanging the boots up for good. Riding a motorcycle to the ring also made it a lot easier on his knees (given his constant knee problems over the years) than having to walk down the aisle every night.

If he had known he'd be sticking around this long, I wonder if he would have still ditched the Biker gear for the Dead Man get-up again, especially considering he hardly does anything 'mystical' with the gimmick nowadays.

 

[Dolph'sZiggler]

I find his character these days to be a drag, frankly.

 

[RaveWayneBoo]

I find his character these days to be a drag, frankly.

Ive allways felt that way about taker, I love his ring work just never a fan of his gimmic.

 

[Cloud]

The ABA gimmick was awesome and suited the Taker at the time. I'm sure if it had continued it would have got old by now same as The Deadman gimmick has tbh. Its difficult there aren't too many gimmicks you could give Taker in keeping with him being as tough as he is and made out to be.

 

[Aids Johnson]

at this point? No.

But i guess in all honesty he could come out as Necro the sicko and we would all still mark.

 

[F.R.I.E]

No. It would've gotten stale after all these years.

 

[Dolph'sZiggler]

No. It would've gotten stale after all these years.

And Deadman isn't? Come on. We can all agree as far as the come back for one Mania a year type of thing, the ABA or even Big Evil are better gimmicks. As my man Lockard pointed out he doesn't even do mystical shit anymore as the dead man, what is the point?

ABA Taker protecting the streak makes more sense and would make for more entertaining build up. The build for Taker's Mania matches since HBK have been free sleep aid.

 

[F.R.I.E]

And Deadman isn't? Come on. We can all agree as far as the come back for one Mania a year type of thing, the ABA or even Big Evil are better gimmicks. As my man Lockard pointed out he doesn't even do mystical shit anymore as the dead man, what is the point?

ABA Taker protecting the streak makes more sense and would make for more entertaining build up. The build for Taker's Mania matches since HBK have been free sleep aid.

I disagree. Especially with the part about the build for matches since HBK. His mind games with HHH being the COO and avoiding facing Taker. The excellent inclusion of Paul Bearer and the urn in his storyline with Punk (although some would find it disrespectful). But, if that's your opinion, I respect it.

 

[Dolph'sZiggler]

I disagree. Especially with the part about the build for matches since HBK. His mind games with HHH being the COO and avoiding facing Taker. The excellent inclusion of Paul Bearer and the urn in his storyline with Punk (although some would find it disrespectful). But, if that's your opinion, I respect it.

I don't care about respect, as I know Bearer would have been all for Punk using his death to get heat (Bearer knows the business isn't personal) but I just found it to be cheap and lazy to have Punk make fun of Bearer. I certainly didn't find it entertaining.

The HHH build was sort of funny unintentionally, but that was it. I remember the IWC blowing up when he wore a wig lol

 

[DK JAMES]

For sure. I never really liked the deadman gimmick too much, but I respect it. American Badass was great.

 

[F.R.I.E]

I don't care about respect, as I know Bearer would have been all for Punk using his death to get heat (Bearer knows the business isn't personal) but I just found it to be cheap and lazy to have Punk make fun of Bearer. I certainly didn't find it entertaining.

The HHH build was sort of funny unintentionally, but that was it. I remember the IWC blowing up when he wore a wig lol

Lmao, the wig thing was funny.

 

[Italianman3100!]

I would love if he was still the American Badass. It was great.

 

[Lockard 23]

I disagree. Especially with the part about the build for matches since HBK. His mind games with HHH being the COO and avoiding facing Taker. The excellent inclusion of Paul Bearer and the urn in his storyline with Punk (although some would find it disrespectful). But, if that's your opinion, I respect it.

I don't see why it would have been necessary to be the Dead Man during the build to their "End Of An Era" match. The ABA could have easily been apart of that angle. Mocking Bearer's death was alright, but Punk "disrespecting" Paul Bearer's death by juggling the urn and dropping it on the floor was terrible and lazy writing and just a poor way to try and get Punk heat. I think the last time they tried to get heat on Taker's opponent by using the urn was 1995 with Kama Mustafa, and that's a feud that everyone would like to forget (actually, no one except me probably even remembers it, but still.) Punk dumping the ashes on Taker was a good segment though, I'll say that. Another thing I disliked about the Punk/Taker feud last year was the fact that Taker barely even said anything on the mic to Punk. I can't foresee that being the case if he were the American Bad Ass, especially with the whole "respect" angle that would have been part of the feud.

Speaking of Punk/Taker, there was a segment at the end of their submission match at Breaking Point 2009 where Taker's humanness started to creep out a little in his facial expressions at the end when Teddy Long restarted the match. Just look at 20:30-20:52: