On the August 24, 1990 episode of WCW's Power Hour, an announcement was made about the forthcoming Clash of the Champions XII that stated that the then-WCW United States Tag Team Champions Steiner Brothers would be facing one of three new tag teams set to debut on that event, the duo known as Maximum Overdrive (the other newcomers being The Nasty Boys and The Master Blasters). The duo would be Hunter and Storm, who was dubbed Silencer. Overdrive were defeated by the Steiners at the Clash on September 5, but that proved to be the only match for the tandem.
Twelve days later, Silencer was repackaged as singles wrestler J.W. Storm. Storm defeated Brett Holliday in his debut at the taping for World Championship Wrestling in Macon, Georgia. Storm began a win streak, defeating Allen Iron Eagle and Tommy Rich, before sustaining his first pinfall loss to Brad Armstrong, losing to him at Halloween Havoc '90 in a victory that announcer Jim Ross considered an "upset". This began a losing streak for Storm, who would sustain losses to Tom Zenk, Brad Armstrong, and The Juicer. Storm would go on to face Mike Rotundo, Terry Taylor, and Dave Taylor. His final match came on November 18, against Tommy Rich.
On December 11, 1990, J.W. Storm received a trout match for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), and defeated Ricky T. A day later, he had another tryout at a Wrestling Challenge taping and was defeated by Shane Douglas. In February 1991, he received a second round of tryouts; on February 18, Storm was defeated by Jim Powers during a WWF Superstars taping. A day later in Fort Myers, Florida, he pinned Scott Allen at a Wrestling Challenge taping. Storm received another set of tryouts in December 1991, when he returned on December 3 at a San Antonio, Texas house show, and was defeated by Chris Chavis. He again wrestled Chavis the following night at a Superstars taping.
On February 14, 1992, Storm joined the WWF roster full-time. Substituting for Kerry Von Erich, Storm was defeated by The Undertaker in St Louis, Missouri. He saw extensive action in February and March, wrestling "The Model" Rick Martel, The Warlord and Hercules. Storm would gain several victories, pinning Steve Lombardi, Doug Summers, Jim Brunzell, and Kato of The Orient Express during the early part of 1992. Storm gained the services of Jimmy Hart at a Wrestling Challenge television taping in Portland, Maine on July 21, as he faced the Dublin Destroyer, but this would be his final match for the company.