“The Marietta Massacre” — The Road Warriors vs. The Fabulous Freebirds (NWA Power Hour: July 14, 1989)

We’ve got a televised cage match — a rarity for the time — from the Cobb County Civic Center in Marietta, GA. 

In advance of the 5-on-5 War Games cage match at the 1989 Great American Bash, The Road Warriors were scheduled to face The Samoan Swat Team on The Power Hour. With the SST nowhere to be found, their War Games teammates — Jimmy Garvin and Terry Gordy of the Fabulous Freebirds — offered to step into the cage in their place.

Late in the match, Freebird Michael Hayes and The SST appear at ringside and proceed to gang up on the Roadies. With a 5-on-2 advantage, the heels handcuff Animal to the ropes and bloody Hawk, while also taking out a few scrubs who try to make the save. The beatdown would later be dubbed “The Marietta Massacre.”