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

[Toe Jay Simpson]

This is what led to Big Evil so I cant hate on it too hard, but it was hella confusing at first. If anything it was a sign if WWE really having a finger on the pulse of pop culture at the time for better or for worse

 

[DaylitoJames]

Was confused on why Taker lost his super powers and was a human from Houston but I became when he started to use The Last Ride as a finisher

 

[Ribbs]

Initial confusion. When he debuted so many things were happening at once, his new look, the clock was counting down, JR and King freaking out. It was madness lol.

But over time you got used to it and Limp Bizkit was his theme Big Evil though >>>

 

[patscorpio]

i was indifferent to it except dude was talking more

 

[The axe murderer]

Was until he became big evil

 

[Playaz Eyez]

It was a much needed change despite him not having ANY good matches other than with HHH at WM 01. He hit his stride as Big Evil Taker though. Great tv then

 

[Starboy52]

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.

 

[Broad Street Bully]

Going thru 2002 on the network these days and Big Evil is amazing

 

[Killer Instinct]

I was pissed he inadvertently cost Rock the tile at Judgement Day 2000. I quickly forgave him the next night on RAW. I didn't mind Limp Bizkit, biker Taker. His Big Evil run was certainly much more memorable though. That feud with Jeff really laid the foundation for Hardy's eventual superstardom. That was one of the greatest examples of putting a guy over even in defeat that I'd ever seen.

 

[Ruby'sRevolver]

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.

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.

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.

(Edit: It's been brought to my attention that the real reason for wearing the gold pants was he lost his luggage and had to borrow those pants from Godfather. Thanks to @FunkDoc1112 for correcting me on this)

 

[dh86]

It got old really really quick. They should evolve characters over time, but it shouldn’t have lasted 4 years

 

[richaveli83]

I didn't like it. My favorite era of The Undertaker was when he came back at Survivor Series 1996 until the start of the Ministry Taker in late 1998. He was still the zombie but it wasn't as cartoonish as the early 90s. That run in summer 1998.

 

[White City Black]

I was cool with it at the time. That JD return and pop was to behold, and yes they had to get with the times so I got the gimmick change, right down to incorporating all that Kid Rock and Limp Biscuit music. That being said, I wasn’t keen on the specific heel turn involving JR, but Big Evil was a logical extension of the Biker character. Made him seem even more bad ass

 

[Kidd Dibiase]

I liked it liked it even more when he was Big Evil. Never had an attachment to Ministry Taker, didn't have cable to watch it anyway.

 

[kdslittlebro]

I was a little kid, but I rocked with it tbh, especially when they put the bike in one of the Smackdown games (HCTP I think). If the other wrestler got out the ring you could just take laps and tf outta them



Plus he was throwing hands and choking dudes out