After being trained by Scott D'Amore, Sabin debuted in 2000 for Border City Wrestling (BCW), and quickly began competing for numerous other independent promotions. In 2003, Sabin joined TNA, and quickly won the TNA X Division Championship, which he later unified with the WWA International Cruiserweight Championship. In 2004, he also wrestled for Ring of Honor. In 2005, Sabin wrestled in the UK at International Showdown for The Wrestling Channel's first anniversary at a sold out Coventry Skydome. Throughout the next few years, Sabin competed mainly in TNA's X Division, until forming The Motor City Machine Guns with Alex Shelley in mid-2007.