The Undertaker's 10 Best Moments From The Attitude Era

9. Returning As "The American Badass" - Judgement Day 2000

In September 1999, Taker was dealing with a groin injury that would require him to be on the shelf for a few months. In January 2000, when he was preparing to return at the Royal Rumble, he tore a pectoral muscle, putting him right back on the shelf. He had been portraying the "Deadman" gimmick for nearly a decade, and some felt he was running out of gas with it. They wondered how much further he could take it. Apparently, someone in the WWF, maybe Taker himself, felt the same way. When he made his return in May 2000, he was more "human", riding a motorcycle to the ring. Gone was the supernatural vibe to the gimmick, and in it's place, was a man who was more of a member of a Sons Of Anarchy-style "biker gang". The return itself was very well done, with Taker roaring to the ring on his motorcycle after a mysterious vignette on the TitanTron. The fans went nuts, and Taker took out DX and the McMahons all by himself. It was a new era for his character, and it was controversial from the start. There were the aforementioned fans who felt Taker needed a change, but there were also fans who felt he was still in a great place with the original character. That controversy kept going for the next four years, all the way up until Taker went back to the "Deadman" gimmick, where he would stay for good.