The Undertaker is one of the most iconic and successful stars in WWE and all of professional wrestling history. Over the years, he has really only had two main gimmicks and one of them was the “American Bada**” biker character which came about in the middle of the Attitude Era. Despite his numerous title reigns and great amount of success, The Undertaker believes he wouldn’t have made it without that gimmick change.
For many years, The Undertaker has been back in his “Deadman” gimmick and still works the occasional match here and there. His last was a victory over Bill Goldberg at the WWE Super ShowDown in Saudi Arabia over the summer, and it isn’t known when he will be seen again.
Newer fans to WWE may not realize that the future Hall of Famer once veered away from his iconic character and turned into something else. The “American Bada**” was more of who he really is as a person and it had him totally break away from what fans had seen for so long.
Today, The Undertaker only appears in WWE on a very limited basis after 30 years in the company and that is what happens as a wrestler gets older. According to Taker, though, he never would have lasted as long as he did if he hadn’t taken time to become the “American Bada**.”
The Undertaker recently sat down with Stone Cold Steve Austin for The Broken Skull Sessions on the WWE Network. As shown by the official website of WWE , the legends talked on a number of topics and that included Taker’s gimmick change which he feels was absolutely necessary.
“I always felt like…if I started feeling stale, my audience is probably feeling it before me. You get so wrapped up in what you’re doing. The small changes…the breaks at the right time, but I don’t think I would have made it through if I hadn’t changed, when I did, to go to the ‘American Bada**.’
The character, I don’t think, would have lasted through the Attitude Era.”
It was in May of 2000 that The Undertaker debuted his biker gimmick and it led to another heel run for him as well. At WrestleMania XX in 2004, The Undertaker returned back to his original “Deadman” gimmick but with a modernized look and twist.
There was so much that took place during the Attitude Era, and it’s hard to remember absolutely everything. Many hardcore wrestling fans feel as if The Undertaker’s legend could live on forever, but the man himself believes his gimmick change is what has helped him last so long.
