During the first two months of 1995, the sports world was plagued by physical altercations between sports participants and spectators.

Before the infamous Malice at the Palace occurred, there was a trio of physical altercations between sports participants and spectators during the first two months of 1995.

• January 25, 1995: During a Premier League game between Manchester United and Crystal Palace, United's Eric Cantona launched a kung-fu style kick into the crowd, followed by a series of punches, all directed at Palace supporter Matthew Simmons, who said something abusive to Cantona after Cantona was sent off by the referee for kicking Palace defender Richard Shaw. The FA suspended Cantona for eight months and fined him £30,000.
• February 4, 1995: During an IHL game between the Cincinnati Cyclones and the Atlanta Knights, Cyclones head coach Don Jackson climbed over the glass that separated the Cyclones' bench and the stands, entered the stands and punched Knights mascot Sir Slap Shot after the mascot threw himself against that same exact piece of glass. The IHL suspended Jackson for 10 games and fined him $1,000, and the Knights were fined $1,000 for the mascot's conduct.
• February 6, 1995: During an NBA game between the Houston Rockets and the Portland Trail Blazers, the Rockets' Vernon Maxwell went into the stands and punched a spectator in the face that had allegedly made racist comments and derogatory remarks about Maxwell's stillborn daughter; the spectator, Steve George, denied Maxwell's allegations. The NBA suspended Maxwell for 10 games and fined him $20,000.