WWE: Every version of The Undertaker ranked from weakest to strongest

8. The American Badass / Deadman Inc. (2000 - 2001)

Even though The American Badass gimmick was incredibly current at the time - and a necessary evolution for The Undertaker during a less gimmicky era - it still gets a lot of hate from fans. Many saw a more humanized Undertaker as a bad thing while others just felt that didn't have the same spark as any of 'Taker's previous personas. While I'm certainly not going to argue with any of that, it had its bonuses which we don't talk about enough, particularly the fact that it allowed Mark Calaway to be himself on the mic, and he nailed it.

That being said, there is no doubt that the first biker gimmick was the weakest version of The Undertaker we ever saw. From a character standpoint, it was the most human we ever saw 'Taker and WWE was unfortunately able to use that in its creativity far too often as he was defeated a lot easier than The Undertaker of old would have ever been. Sometimes he would lose to single finishers, from Stone Cold Stunners to the 3-D - none of which would have happened if this wasn't the Biker 'Taker.

From an athletic perspective, the American Badass era was also the weakest of 'Taker's career. The legend wasn't in his typical ring shape as the result of a number of nagging injuries, so he was slower than before. It didn't stop him from putting on some great brawls, but it prevented him from reaching those unearthly heights of the late '90s, and even started some premature retirement rumors.

Thankfully he bounced back in a big way.