page_title: Gregory Helms
section_title: Early appearances (2001–2002)
hierarchical_section_title: Gregory Helms / Professional wrestling career / World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment (2001-2010) / Early appearances (2001–2002)
caption_attribution_description: English: en:Gregory Helms at an autograph signing in en:Illinois in en:June 2002.
context_page_description: Gregory Shane Helms is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment, where he wrestled as The Hurricane, Gregory Helms, and Hurricane Helms and also for his time with World Championship Wrestling, where he wrestled as "Sugar" Shane Helms.
  Helms first began wrestling in 1991 at the age of 17, and wrestled in numerous independent promotions, including the Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts, winning numerous light heavyweight and tag team championships. In 1999, he signed with WCW, and gained fame as "Sugar" Shane Helms, a member of 3 Count. During his time there he won both the WCW Hardcore Championship and the WCW Cruiserweight Championship. When WCW was bought by the World Wrestling Federation, Helms' contract was kept by WWF. Helms renamed himself "The Hurricane" and won the WWE Cruiserweight Championship. He later picked up a sidekick, Rosey, and they won the World Tag Team Championship together.
  He dropped the superhero gimmick in 2005, and began wrestling under his real name.
context_section_description: Helms made his WWF debut on the July 5, 2001 episode of SmackDown!, using the name "Hollywood" Gregory Helms. He was part of the Invasion storyline as a member of The Alliance losing his Cruiserweight Championship in a one-on-one match to another Alliance member, Billy Kidman.
  Helms began wrestling as "The Hurricane" on August 27, and also began wearing a superhero costume. That night, he won the WWF European Championship from Matt Hardy with help from Ivory, but lost it to Bradshaw on October 22, 2001. In September 2001, Helms formed a tag team with Lance Storm who was now managed by Ivory and Helms later picked up a sidekick, in Molly Holly who began to call herself "Mighty Molly", and the two came to the arena in a custom "Hurri-Cycle" (with Molly in the sidecar). The team of Helms and Storm began feuds with teams like The Hardy Boyz and Big Show and Spike Dudley. Helms and Storm got a shot at the WCW Tag Team Championship against The Hardy Boyz at No Mercy in a losing effort.
  During 2002, The Hurricane won the WWF Hardcore Championship at WrestleMania X8, but Molly betrayed him, hitting him in the back of the head with a frying pan, and defeating him for the championship. Helms was later drafted to the SmackDown! brand following the brand extension, and he won the Cruiserweight Championship from Tajiri and Billy Kidman in a triple threat match. He lost it to Jamie Noble at King of the Ring. Later in 2002, he was traded to Raw, won the World Tag Team Championship with Kane, and held them for around a month in an alliance known as Hurri-Kane.
caption: Helms at an autograph signing in June 2002
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