For those that were watching the WWF in 2000: What was your initial reaction to Biker Taker?

[El Guapo]

I liked it because he was getting stale and lame in 1999. The Ministry of Darkness was just too hokey for me. So when he came back, it modernized him at that time and became relevant again.

 

[FunkDoc1112]

I wasn't a fan of it, but I understood why they did it. It wasn't a surprise or anything, it had been talked about in the sheets for a while that Taker wanted to change his character and the last time he was on tv before he came back with the new gimmick, he pretty much was Bikertaker already. (minus the bike LOL)

Here it is from Smackdown September 1999


When I first saw the new look at Judgment Day, I thought it was a cool Ghost Rider kind of look and everyone seemed to dig it at first, but as time went on, his look got worse, he wasn't in great shape and I didnt really like his promos. It just wasn't working for me.

It got a little bit better when he settled into the Big Evil character with the short hair, he got in better shape and his ring work began to improve but I still wasn't a fan of it.

No one was happier to see the return of the Deadman than I was.




LMAO, Those gold pants he wore at Survivor Series 2000 were the fukking worst ever. I know he did it to mark the 'gold anniversary' of the Undertaker but goddamn those were terrible.

Nope, he lost his luggage and had to borrow The Godfather's gear. He couldn't wait to get out of it.

 

[Ruby'sRevolver]

Nope, he lost his luggage and had to borrow The Godfather's gear. He couldn't wait to get out of it.

Really? I always heard it was to mark the ten year anniversary of his debut. Damn, he couldn't find anything better to borrow than those? I hope you're right though, then at least we know he didn't wear those shyts on purpose, those pants were the worst, hopefully he burned them after the match, LOL.

 

[Playaz Eyez]

Anybody else feel like from Big Evil onward (until about Mid 08/early 09), Taker was at his best wrestling wise?

Outside of the matches with Khali where Cokeboy went to his early 90s formula of “have the new monster of the week feud with Undertaker to make him look strong”, I don’t recall him having a lot of stinkers during that time period.

His wrestling peak ability was 06-10. During the Big Evil period, I really only remember when having good matches with Brock, Cena and Jeff Hardy. From 06-10, outside of the Khali garbage, he was killing it with Brock, Jeff, Shelton, Edge, Punk, Batista, Rey, Angle (which basically capped off his string of good-great matches), HHH, HBK and Jericho.

 

[R=G]

I always saw it like this...I never liked Cripple H and I always thought his in 99/2000 push was a utter farce. Part of why it was a farce is that he couldnt be pushed had Austin and Undertaker not been out with 9 month and one year injuries. Taker has been a favorite of mine since he turned face at Macho Man's wedding..so it was all good with me.

 

[Chris Cool]

With no Stone Cold he became my favorite wrestler.

 

[AKM-95]

Honestly the character switch was kinda random but the biker transformation into big evil was dope and that heel turn on JR was some of his best character work so its dope run overall plus the last ride is one of my favorite powerbomb variations.

 

[TL15]

I thought it had potential (a motorcycle riding “Undertaker” or reaper would’ve been right along with the pop culture of the time) but he didn’t play the character right It just seemed like he got bored and wanted to break Kayfabe and be a tough guy biker.

 

[HipHopStan]

Seeing Taker as various versions the deadman had ran its course so I welcomed it. I won't lie though - when Taker got buried alive at SS 2003, I was hyped when he was coming back as the deadman. He just needed a break from the character and Biker Taker was the right place to go at the time.

 

[DamienWayne]

Cool thought wwe ws getting more serious


That hindsight

 

[FTBS]

I was just hype that he was back.

He started dressing like that before 2000 minus the trench coat so for a short while he was still the same Taker to me. He even rolled his eyes in the back of his head at Judgement Day like old times. Him changing his attire later on is what soured me. shyt was over when he wore that Survivor Series 2000 outfit.

Yeah everyone started dressing in street clothes when they weren't actually wrestling. He just transitioned that into his ring attire. That was the era of trying to be realistic and obviously a undead man that recieves power from an urn doesn't really fit with that.

 

[Rell84shots]

Great change up because the Deadman had gotten stale. Shortly before the injury he began cutting long winded go nowhere promos, and he looked burnt out on the business. Only the IWC hates this era of Taker, because he was still getting big pops as ABA and massive boos when he turned heel as Big Evil.

 

[Ruby'sRevolver]

Great change up because the Deadman had gotten stale. Shortly before the injury he began cutting long winded go nowhere promos, and he looked burnt out on the business. Only the IWC hates this era of Taker, because he was still getting big pops as ABA and massive boos when he turned heel as Big Evil.

LOL, we all know the one...





I agree, he did look really burnt out during this period.

 

[Rell84shots]

LOL, we all know the one...





I agree, he did look really burnt out during this period.

I was only an oblivious teen back then, but even I knew how bad that was.

 

[NYChase718]

Didnt make any sense
But it worked
Same shyt as the changes to kane didnt make any sense
But ended up working