LITTLER WOULD BEAT PRIME TAYLOR!
02/06/2026 By Aaron Nijjar
LUKE LITTLER would beat a peak Phil Taylor, according to veteran darts commentator Stuart Pyke.
The Nuke has already amassed an incredible 13 major titles at just 19-years-old and is rapidly forcing his way into the conversation as the greatest player the sport has ever seen.
Taylor remains the most successful player in darts history with 16 World Championship titles.
But Pyke believes the record comes with an important caveat, arguing that the standard of opposition during much of Taylor’s dominance was nowhere near as strong as it is today.
He told the Love the Darts Podcast: “I think that all those records are there to be broken, whether he goes on to get 16, like Taylor did in World Championships.
“But I’ll always maintain that at least half of those that Taylor won were gimmies.
“Maybe a bit harsh because the competition just wasn’t up to it when Taylor were in his pomp.
“But it’s a great pub topic and it will go on forever and ever.
“But for me, Peak Littler beats Peak Taylor.”
Pyke also believes Luke Humphries’ victory over Littler in the 2024 World Championship final proved to be a turning point for the teen sensation.
He added: “Funny, to this day I still maintain this. I’m sure people will agree or not.
“But Luke Humphries beating Luke Littler in that world final when Humphries won was the best thing that happened for Littler.
“It was also the best thing that happened for darts.
“I think Humphries deserved his moment. He’ll have many, many more.
“But it unleashed something that we thought we’d never see again.
“Well, I certainly didn’t when you were a lot younger in my lifetime.”
Littler has won all four televised titles on offer so far this season and now needs just six more trophies to complete an unprecedented clean sweep, something no player has ever achieved.
Even during the most dominant spells of Taylor’s career in 2008 and 2009, and Michael van Gerwen’s remarkable 2016 campaign, neither man managed to conquer every televised event on the calendar.
Should Littler add the European Championship and World Cup to his collection this year, he would have completed the set of every current PDC premier event.
Image by Taylor Lanning.
