Could The "American Badass" Return?

[Jack-Hammer]

I was browsing by wrestlinginc.com and I happened upon this:

http://www.wrestlinginc.com/wi/news...brings-back-old-gimmick-for-commercial-video/

Basically, it's a commercial in which Taker is in his "American Badass" biker look, which is probably who he really is in some respects. Once I saw this, it triggered something that we've been hearing a lot of for the past week or so. Whenever Taker's altercations with The Shield is mentioned, The Shield or commentators frequently bring up Taker's "yard". As the American Badass, he referred to the ring and/or WWE in general as "my yard". You don't hear that phrase mentioned anymore. I'm thinking that Taker has mentioned it one time several years ago, this was after he'd readopted the Dead Man character, in an in-ring promo. I can't exactly remember when, but I'm wanting to think it may have been right around the time in which he & HBK were building their match at WM 25.

It might all just simply be a coincidence. It simply had me wondering if Taker might revive the American Badass character in the near future. The Shield has claimed that they now "run this yard", so there'd be a little poetic justice in Taker adopting the gimmick again for the purpose of trying to reclaim "his yard".

 

[HBsam31]

I believe you are right that he mentioned it during the build up to his and HBK's first match. I think it would be great if he brought that gimmick back to feud with The Shield. The Deadman gimmick just doesn't seem to fit anymore with Taker's shaved head and advanced age. He could come back to reclaim his "yard". The only downside to this is I feel he should retire as The Deadman. The way out of this would be if he just retired as himself. Mark Callaway. All in all I think this would be a good idea for this feud.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

The next time you see The Undertaker as "The American Badass" will be when he's retired and the "Deadman" gimmick is laid to rest. 'Cus, y'know, when he retires and he makes occasional appearences he's not going to be a special ref as a zombie, is he!

'Taker doesn't need to change his gimmick. Fans love him regardless and there's just no need when he's just as popular now as he's ever been.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Call me crazy, but if this does happen, it might be a sign of Take preparing to hang up the boots for good. Taker is very serious about maintaining the mystique of The Undertaker character, so it would make sense for him to return to a "normal human being" character. I can still remember Edge's HOF speech from last year, where he thanked "Glenn" and "Mark" for helping his character and career. Edge wouldn't address either man by their full name, but we all knew, who he was talking about. Mark Calaway is very serious about not breaking his character, so The American Badass could help him step outside of the fiction zone.

Taker doesn't need a character change, but it wouldn't bother me if he decided to bring back The American Badass.

 

[Soulblazed]

That commercial was something different...

As far as The American Badass returning, as others have said, during the Taker/HBK feud Taker's "yard" was mentioned..Hence just because The Shield are talking about his "yard" doesn't mean imo that he'll suddenly become The American Badass again..

Since this thread's about The American Badass I'll share this old pic from the November 1995 cover of WWF Magazine-

 

[KnowYoRole]

Oh, please no. I disliked that gimmick, it simply wasn't as appealing as his deadman gimmick, the gimmick which is the whole reason why Taker is as big a phenomenon as he is today. The ABA gimmick especially in the final stages of his career would only serve to devalue his mystique and quite frankly it's a lame gimmick.

 

[HellBoundPower]

Being the huge Undertaker fan that I am, I would honestly welcome the change. The American Badass gimmick was fun. We got to see a more realistic side of Mark Calaway, and it was entertaining. Granted The Deadman is iconic, and is the better gimmick. But with the shape Taker is in these days, and the fact that he cut off all of his hair, I think him going American Badass all over the roster would be a good transition. It would fit his look and his behavior as of late a lot better than the Deadman gimmick does. Not to mention it would be a breath of fresh air after being the Deadman for the past 9 years.

 

[DarkLordFett]

I know there are a lot of people that really didn't like the American Badass/Big Evil gimmick, but I thought they were a lot of fun. You got to see more of Mark than as Undertaker. I was watching his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel back during that time and you could see how much of him was in that gimmick. He's aso rather funny and seems like a pretty cool guy to hang out with. It's hard to find good quality clips of the appearance. I feel like it would be nice to see that persona make a brief comeback, kick The Shields collective ass, one more Mania as The Deadman/Phenom, beat Cena, then hang it up.

 

[KoC417]

It fits absolutely perfectly as much as I hate to say it. Who else but an America Badass would stand up to a group like the shield that claims to be fighting injustices. The Badass gimmick though would be so watered down because he can't use his chain to the head or anything of the sort. Honestly I wouldn't believe a shot to the gut with a chain around the fists with the gear the Shield has on. Sure it could get ripped off and used against an exposed stomach/back but still. But this would also require Undertaker coming back to television frequently. Unless the whole point of the angle is to eliminate the Undertaker once and for all. If he only shows up every couple of weeks it will be pointless in a real hurry.

 

[Trance Metaphor]

I wouldn't mind the return of that gimmick, but the question is how will he return with that gimmick?

I think two good things came out of his American Bad-Ass gimmick that I was certainly a fan of; 1. Taker winning the Hardcore title and talking about respect 2. Taker winning the WWE Championship for the fourth time.

It would definitely be entertaining to see him lock up against The Shield and give each one a hellacious beating in singles matches before leading up to a Hell in a Cell match against the final member of The Shield. That really is wishful thinking though lol. It would have been more probable back in 2001-2002.

 

[Chicago1989]

It's too late for Undertaker to change his gimmick and make it work with today's fans. His current character has had a lasting impression in today's fans for a long time. He'll also probably retire in the near future, and with the "Deadman" character I'm sure. While I wouldn't have minded seeing the American Badass/Big Evil character again, it's more appropriate and obvious that the Deadman character will stay.

 

[fenderjapan]

The ABA gimmick was good, don't get me wrong...it helped Undertaker evolve with the times. But he is a nostalgia act now. The Deadman puts asses in the seats...his entrance alone can turn a good show into a great show. His classic music and look (even sans hair) is what people remember most when they think of Taker.

 

[thebowtiekiller]

this is quite a tough one takers one of my faves ever i usually prefer the deadman gimmick but the aba was also awesome taker is a bit of a special attraction now and the deadman gimmick is still a massive draw but hes getting on and is starting to look pretty old now especially with the shaved head look and as such is starting to lose the cool spooky sort of aura that the deadman requires so i think the aba gimmick would be a good choice now but only if he was to return in at least a semi regular schedule to help it take off again but if he only shows up a couple of times a year he should stick to the deadman imo

 

[Aquaman6686]

I was a HUGE fan of the American Badass gimmick, but it's never coming back, simply because Vince hates it and wants to forget it ever existed. Vince has always wanted more cartoony, superhero-type characters, and the American Badass was too realistic for him. He hated it from day one and the one only reason it lasted as long as it did was because Undertaker himself was a huge fan of the change, as it allowed him to shore more of his mic and promo ability.

 

[BenChillin]

Hell No.

I remember when he first started growing the hair back and setting up for his deadman return with that Vince McMahon and Kane feud. I couldn't wait for the american badass to get buried (literally in that buried alive match) and for the real Undertaker to come back.

I think the illest way to end the whole thing would be some kind of final retirement forever wrestlemania match with Kane Vs Undertaker one last time and both are never seen again. Think about it. Kane tombstones Undertaker like the 3rd time but on a chair this time and the lights go out. 20 seconds later we get a boom with Kane's ring post pyros. Both guys are gone. In the center there's nothing but the urn left. We're left thinking maybe Kane beat Undertaker at Wrestlemania but we'll never know and they're both gone.

Wishful thinking.

 

[Dirk]

ABA is a cool gimmick. The only thing more badass that a biker would be a cowboy and he also kinda did this with his "Last outlaw" many moons ago. ABA is not Deadman, though...

The way I see it, the Undertaker's gimmick did help him somewhat. He's extremely talented, but he had a unique gimmick that lent itself to many storylines and theatrics.

Here's an idea: Why not combine the two? At WM the "Deadman" looked very gothic, but why can't he be more like Ghost Rider? He'd still be Undertaker, just with a cool bike, a spiky leather jacket, a chain and maybe a bandanna to cover his balding head.

 

[MattRhys20]

I loved that gimmick, I can't be the only one that thinks that the ABA gimmick is actually alot scarier than The Deadman (maybe due to The Attitude Era v PG Era, but I digress).

 

[CripplerBenoitFan]

I loved the ABA gimmick, and the kick ass matches that Taker had during that period. That said, I don't see him returning to that ever again. He's going to go out as the Deadman.

 

[Dagger Dias]

No, NO, NO!!!! A thousand times NO!!!!! Absolutely horrendous idea!!!!

The American Badass was so bad I've tried to forget that it ever happened. That gimmick was part of why I nearly walked away from the product completely at one point when my fandom was at its absolute lowest. How could Undertaker go from such an awesome character to such a boring and awful character? To say that I hated American Badass would be an understatement. It was bad enough that this gimmick happened once. It should NEVER return. Undertaker should retire as the legendary phenom, period. That horrible gimmick needs to stay in the past where it belongs. There is absolutely no reason to ever bring it back. NONE. I cannot fathom how anyone liked it, let alone liking it more than the phenom. I'd take a Braden Walker return over an American Badass return, if that tells you anything. Undertaker can do promos about his yard as the phenom, there's no reason why he can't. He should remain that character until he retires for good.

 

[Mustang Sally]

I don't think he's going to be around enough to put across a persona change. Even if he's decided he feels better than he thought he would after the grueling WM29 match, I would still think he's on the outer fringes of retirement and couldn't be bothered investing the time and effort necessary to change his character again.

Of course, I wouldn't mind being wrong about this. Remember Shawn Michaels: after he had "lost his smile" and seemed to be permanently retired due to his back injury, the guy came back as a full-time performer for a few years. It would be great to see Undertaker do the same thing, but he's a lot older than HBK was when he made his return and 'Taker's body has been through wars that make it more likely he'll stay as the Dead Man and let us remember him that way.

 

[WunNightStan619]

Not only do I think it COULD work, I think, Taker SHOULD go back to that gimmick. More believable at this point in the game, and the deadman gimmick is a tad stale.

 

[Papa Pillman]

I think that this is already a new version of the Undertaker gimmick that started with the cryptic promo build to 2011's Mania. At that point they began referring to the "Last Outlaw", and I think that is the current incarnation of the character. Even Ambrose addressed the moniker in a recent promo.

It fits absolutely perfectly as much as I hate to say it. Who else but an America Badass would stand up to a group like the shield that claims to be fighting injustices.

But see I think the current version fits perfectly against The Shield.

I look at the current take on the deadman gimmick as that of like an old sheriff of a ghost town who returns to enact justice for himself, also relating to the theme of Ambrose's recent promos. From that perspective I think the current take on the Undertaker is a perfect foil for The Shield and their brand of "justice".

Essentially I think Taker has morphed into a character reminiscent of Clint Eastwood in "High Plains Drifter". And I think it was created to be the final version of the character we will see until he hangs them up.

 

[strongbad]

If he's only going to be around for another year, it doesn't make much sense to go back to that gimmick. I've read that VKM really hates that persona of the Undertaker. Taker has a big money draw at WM with the deadman gimmick, and that mystique creates a lot of buzz for the industry. They shouldn't toy with it, unless they know for certain he won't be at any more WMs.

What I'd like to see instead is the Shield go undefeated for a year going into next year's WM... and for the Undertaker to re-assemble a Ministry of Darkness to combat them. 3 on 3 match, streak vs. streak. Could be very interesting, especially if we have Undertaker come out in an even darker way.

 

[quagmire]

If he's only going to be around for another year, it doesn't make much sense to go back to that gimmick. I've read that VKM really hates that persona of the Undertaker. Taker has a big money draw at WM with the deadman gimmick, and that mystique creates a lot of buzz for the industry. They shouldn't toy with it, unless they know for certain he won't be at any more WMs.

What I'd like to see instead is the Shield go undefeated for a year going into next year's WM... and for the Undertaker to re-assemble a Ministry of Darkness to combat them. 3 on 3 match, streak vs. streak. Could be very interesting, especially if we have Undertaker come out in an even darker way.

If Taker was going to reform the Ministry of Darkness, it should be the Shield as the new members. But, that means Taker would have to be heel.

Who else can seriously be a part of the new Ministry? There is no one else on the roster right now that would be taken seriously.

While I liked the ABA/Big Evil gimmick, it's never coming back. It provided a nice break from the the deadman gimmick so when he went back to his roots, everyone was clamoring for it instead of it becoming stale.

 

[CripplerBenoitFan]

I am against The Shield being diminished as anyone's flunkies. That rumor that somehow Orton would become leader of Shield at Mania was awful. No offense quagmire, I don't want to seem like I'm attacking you or anything. It's just that this Ministry thing is the same thing. Gotta speak on this (ODELAY).

So you have this RED HOT group of fresh heels, who are capable of working on a main event level with the same precision and skill as groups like The Freebirds. They have beaten everyone. To just take some established star and put him up front as the leader completely tears down what they've built up.

The Shield doesn't need anyone but The Shield. They can handle the promos, the matches, and completely obliterating any babyface there is.

That's all. I had to get that out there.