section_path: Professional wrestling career/Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2002–2006)
section_name: Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2002–2006)
paragraph_text: Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2002–2006)
  
  Sabu debuted in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) on July 17, 2002, defeating Malice in a ladder match. The following week, he faced Ken Shamrock in a ladder match which ended in a no contest after interference from Malice.
  
  On February 25, 2004, Sabu teamed with Raven to defeat Raven's former " Gathering " protégés CM Punk and Julio Dinero. The following month, he began feuding with Monty Brown and Abyss, who outnumbered him on several occasions after Raven failed to "watch his back". Sabu was eventually challenged to a match by Raven, but he refused to wrestle Raven as part of a promise he made to his uncle Ed "The Sheik" Farhat. Raven tormented Sabu by assaulting his friend Sonjay Dutt and waging a campaign against Sabu by disrespecting his uncle's memory, causing him to finally attack Raven on July 23. On August 4, Sabu lost to Raven, and a scheduled return match on August 18 was canceled after Sabu suffered a legitimate back injury.
  
  Sabu returned to TNA on July 29, 2005. At Sacrifice on August 14, Sabu teamed with old rival and then- NWA World Heavyweight Champion Raven to face Jeff Jarrett and Rhino. During the match, which Rhino and Jarrett won, Abyss interfered and attacked Sabu, starting a feud between the two. At Unbreakable on September 11, Abyss defeated Sabu after performing his Black Hole Slam finisher onto a pile of tacks in the ring. On October 23, at Bound for Glory, Sabu lost to Rhino in a Monster's Ball match also involving Abyss and Jeff Hardy, as well as in a ten-man gauntlet match later that night. Sabu again lost to Abyss on November 13 at Genesis, before defeating him in the promotion's first ever Barbed Wire Massacre at Turning Point on December 11, ending their feud. After a hiatus, Sabu, having a broken forearm, returned at Lockdown on April 23, 2006, facing Samoa Joe for the TNA X Division Championship in a losing effort; he was released from TNA following this match.
  
  Sabu debuted in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) on July 17, 2002, defeating Malice in a ladder match. The following week, he faced Ken Shamrock in a ladder match which ended in a no contest after interference from Malice.
  
  On February 25, 2004, Sabu teamed with Raven to defeat Raven's former " Gathering " protégés CM Punk and Julio Dinero. The following month, he began feuding with Monty Brown and Abyss, who outnumbered him on several occasions after Raven failed to "watch his back". Sabu was eventually challenged to a match by Raven, but he refused to wrestle Raven as part of a promise he made to his uncle Ed "The Sheik" Farhat. Raven tormented Sabu by assaulting his friend Sonjay Dutt and waging a campaign against Sabu by disrespecting his uncle's memory, causing him to finally attack Raven on July 23. On August 4, Sabu lost to Raven, and a scheduled return match on August 18 was canceled after Sabu suffered a legitimate back injury.
  
  Sabu returned to TNA on July 29, 2005. At Sacrifice on August 14, Sabu teamed with old rival and then- NWA World Heavyweight Champion Raven to face Jeff Jarrett and Rhino. During the match, which Rhino and Jarrett won, Abyss interfered and attacked Sabu, starting a feud between the two. At Unbreakable on September 11, Abyss defeated Sabu after performing his Black Hole Slam finisher onto a pile of tacks in the ring. On October 23, at Bound for Glory, Sabu lost to Rhino in a Monster's Ball match also involving Abyss and Jeff Hardy, as well as in a ten-man gauntlet match later that night. Sabu again lost to Abyss on November 13 at Genesis, before defeating him in the promotion's first ever Barbed Wire Massacre at Turning Point on December 11, ending their feud. After a hiatus, Sabu, having a broken forearm, returned at Lockdown on April 23, 2006, facing Samoa Joe for the TNA X Division Championship in a losing effort; he was released from TNA following this match.