<P> Thereafter, The Undertaker kidnapped Stephanie McMahon, forcing Vince McMahon to enter into a reluctant alliance with his longtime nemesis Stone Cold Steve Austin . The Undertaker attempted to marry before sacrificing Stephanie in an eldritch ceremony conducted by Paul Bearer, but Austin was able to rescue her . At the Over the Edge pay - per - view, The Undertaker defeated Austin for his third WWF Championship with help from Shane McMahon, the special referee . The Ministry eventually merged with Shane McMahon's Corporation alliance to form the Corporate Ministry . The Undertaker later revealed that Vince McMahon had been his "Higher Power" all along . After The Undertaker dropped the WWF Championship back to Austin following King of the Ring, and an additional loss to him in a First Blood match at Fully Loaded, his relationship with the McMahons dissolved and the Corporate Ministry disbanded . </P> <P> The Undertaker then began a storyline where he teamed with Big Show in a tag team known as The Unholy Alliance, which held the WWF World Tag Team Championship twice . After their victory at SummerSlam, The Undertaker suffered a groin tear and was seen limping in several matches . He avoided competing in wrestling matches in the following weeks, instead tyrannically ordering Big Show to fight all his battles and oblige all his many wishes . He also began to transition away to the biker character he would play in 2000 . Per an interview with Kevin Nash, this was a move to allow Calaway to enter World Championship Wrestling with a non-trademarked persona . Had he entered WCW, it would have been as Mark Calaway . Although negotiations were described as close, he ultimately re-signed with the World Wrestling Federation . To compensate for his lack of physical action, Undertaker became more vocal on the mic, often making smart - aleck remarks and providing commentary . In September 1999, on SmackDown!, Mr. McMahon threatened that he would remove Undertaker from the Unforgiven main event if he refused to participate in a casket match against Triple H. Undertaker retorted that he did not care and maybe he would not be participating in anything, thus walking out of the WWF . In reality, Calaway went on a hiatus from the WWF in order to treat his groin injury . On December 14 he made his return to action, teaming with Viscera in a losing effort against Kane and The Godfather at a house show in Caomo, Puetro Rico . The Undertaker was advertised on the Armageddon promotional poster to return, but meanwhile also tore his pectoral muscle, making him take almost eight months out of action . </P> <P> By his return in May 2000, The Undertaker had taken on a drastically different identity from before, as he abandoned the somber mortician - themed attires, his funeral dirge ring music, allusions to the supernatural, and the accompanying morbid theatrics . In place of this, he took on a biker identity, riding to the ring on a motorcycle, and wearing sunglasses and bandanas to the ring . His entrance music was replaced with popular rock songs of the time, like Limp Bizkit's "Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle)" and Kid Rock's "American Bad Ass" (from which the name of The Undertaker's new gimmick originated), though it was accompanied by the characteristic opening bell of The Undertaker's original theme . </P> <P> When Undertaker returned near the end of the Iron Man match between Triple H and The Rock at Judgment Day, he took out all the members of the McMahon - Helmsley Faction, which caused him to once again be a fan favorite . He also targeted their leader, then WWF Champion Triple H. At the King of the Ring pay - per - view, The Undertaker teamed with The Rock and Kane to defeat the team of Triple H, Shane McMahon, and Vince McMahon . Afterward, he was booked to team with Kane to contend for the WWF World Tag Team Championship . They defeated Edge and Christian, earning the right to face them the following week for the championship, which Edge and Christian retained . On the August 14 episode of Raw Is War, Kane betrayed The Undertaker by hitting him with a chokeslam twice, with the second one putting The Undertaker through the ring . </P>

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