Michael Smith v Gerwyn Price LIVE: Final score in Premier League Darts after Luke Littler result

Luke Littler picked up two points from his Premier League Darts debut after reaching the semi-finals in Cardiff, where he lost a thriller to eventual winner Michael Smith.

Earlier, Littler won a re-run of the World Darts Championship final against Luke Humphries in the quarter-finals, with a dominant 6-2 victory. He had double 15 to beat Smith in the deciding leg of their semi, but missed and his opponent took full advantage to book a place in the night’s final.

There, Smith comfortably beat home-crowd favourite Gerwyn Price 6-2 to scoop the £10,000 prize and a maximum five points.

The 16-night series will resume in Berlin next Thursday, before the top four go through to the play-offs at London’s O2 Arena in May.

Re-live the action from the Premier League tonight, and get the latest darts betting tips here.

Premier League Darts

• First round of Premier League begins tonight in Cardiff live on Sky Sports

• Eight elite players compete over best-of-11 legs

• QF1: Rob Cross beats Peter Wright 6-3!

• QF2: Gerwyn Price beats Nathan Aspinall 6-4!

• QF3: Michael Smith beats Michael van Gerwen 6-5!

• QF4: Luke Littler beats Luke Humphries 6-2!

• SF1: Gerwyn Price beats Rob Cross 6-2!

• SF2: Michael Smith beats Luke Littler 6-5!

• Michael Smith wins Premier League Darts night one!

Premier League Darts standings

22:54 , Lawrence Ostlere

Here’s a look at the table after the first of 16 nights to decide who goes to the play-offs in May.

1. Michael Smith 5 points

2. Gerwyn Price 3

3. Luke Littler 2

4. Rob Cross 2

5. Nathan Aspinall 0

6. Luke Humphries 0

7. Peer Wright 0

8. Michael van Gerwen 0

Michael Smith wins Premier League Darts night one!

22:50 , Lawrence Ostlere

Smith comments on overcoming Price and a Cardiff crowd who tended to support his opponents. “With the crowd tonight, with Luke [Littler] there was a couple of whistle, but I don’t blame them,” he said. “I’m sorry that I won!”

Michael Smith wins Premier League Darts night one!

22:47 , Lawrence Ostlere

Price’s game falls apart at the end and he offers a wry smile as Smith closes out the victory. That was impressive from Smith and a bit disappointing from Price, who couldn’t recreate his semi-final form in the final.

Premier League Darts: Gerwyn Price 2-5 Michael Smith

22:45 , Lawrence Ostlere

Better from Price, who hits double 10 to end a run of five successive lost legs. Can he mount a comeback?

Premier League Darts: Gerwyn Price 1-5 Michael Smith

22:44 , Lawrence Ostlere

Smith holds his throw once more, and he’s one leg away. He’s averaging 97 so far against Price’s 91.

Premier League Darts: Gerwyn Price 1-4 Michael Smith

22:42 , Lawrence Ostlere

Smith hits double top to secure the double break, and this final feels like it’s almost done and dusted.

Premier League Darts: Gerwyn Price 1-3 Michael Smith

22:40 , Lawrence Ostlere

Smith hits double 10 with his first dart to close out the fourth leg. The Welsh crowd have gone a little quiet...

Premier League Darts: Gerwyn Price 1-2 Michael Smith

22:39 , Lawrence Ostlere

Smith is the first to beak his opponent’s throw in this final, and Price is yet to find any kind of rythm.

Premier League Darts: Gerwyn Price 1-1 Michael Smith

22:37 , Lawrence Ostlere

Smith needs a couple of visits to the oche but cleans up double five to draw level – and he starts the next leg with another 180.

Premier League Darts: Gerwyn Price 1-0 Michael Smith

22:35 , Lawrence Ostlere

Price throws first, and holds his throw after shuffling across the oche to find a route past his own darts to double top.

Smith begins the second leg with the first 180 of this final.

Premier League Darts: Gerwyn Price v Michael Smith

22:34 , Lawrence Ostlere

These two were the outstanding players in last year’s league phase of the Premier League, even if it was Michael van Gerwen who eventually won the play-offs.

Premier League Darts: Gerwyn Price v Michael Smith

22:32 , Lawrence Ostlere

Here we go then with the final on the first night of the 2024 Premier League Darts. It’s Gerwyn Price v Michael Smith.

Michael Smith beats Luke Littler 6-5!

22:26 , Lawrence Ostlere

How Michael Smith finished off that epic encounter with Luke Littler, along with a message for the fans whistling on his throw:

Michael Smith beats Luke Littler 6-5!

22:15 , Lawrence Ostlere

Littler goes for double 15 to win the match, but his dart lands on the wrong side of the wire! It lets Smith in, and he makes no mistake with his second attempt at double top.

Michael Smith is through to the final, and Luke Littler’s Premier League debut ends in semi-final defeat.

Premier League Darts: Michael Smith 5-5 Luke Littler

22:12 , Lawrence Ostlere

Littler kicks off with a 180!

Premier League Darts: Michael Smith 5-5 Luke Littler

22:12 , Lawrence Ostlere

Littler holds his throw, and Smith will have the darts as they go into the decider...

Premier League Darts: Michael Smith 5-4 Luke Littler

22:11 , Lawrence Ostlere

Smith scores heavily through the ninth leg and kills it quickly with double top. Littler must win the last two legs...

Premier League Darts: Michael Smith 4-4 Luke Littler

22:09 , Lawrence Ostlere

Littler finishes with his old favourite double 10 to win another leg, and they’re back level. Smith to throw.

Premier League Darts: Michael Smith 4-3 Luke Littler

22:08 , Lawrence Ostlere

LIttler responds with a bull finish (he’s so good at finding the bull) to pull a quick leg back.

They start the next leg with an exchange of 180s! Brilliant stuff.

Premier League Darts: Michael Smith 4-2 Luke Littler

22:07 , Lawrence Ostlere

Brilliant from Smith, who completes a 12-dart leg with treble 19, double 12. He’s broken Littler’s throw and this is his semi-final for the taking now.

Premier League Darts: Michael Smith 3-2 Luke Littler

22:06 , Lawrence Ostlere

He can’t see out the nine-darter, but Smith does close out the leg with double tops. We’re still going with the dart in this first-to-six match.

Premier League Darts: Michael Smith 2-2 Luke Littler

22:04 , Lawrence Ostlere

Littler cruises through the fourth leg finishing on his favourite double 10, to level the scores. Smith, though, is on a nine-darter after six darts in the very next leg...

Premier League Darts: Michael Smith 2-1 Luke Littler

22:03 , Lawrence Ostlere

Some ragged finishing, but Smith finds double 10 to restore his lead. Littler begins the fourth leg with yet another 180. A mind-bogglingly talented teenager.

Premier League Darts: Michael Smith 1-1 Luke Littler

22:01 , Lawrence Ostlere

Littler rattles off the second leg with a 180 in there for good measure.

Premier League Darts: Michael Smith 1-0 Luke Littler

22:00 , Lawrence Ostlere

Michael Smith hangs on to his throw to take the first leg, despite being pushed hard by Littler, with double 10 at the third attempt.

Premier League Darts: Michael Smith v Luke Littler

21:58 , Lawrence Ostlere

Michael Smith and Luke Littler are back on stage after impressive quarter-final wins. They share a hug and a smile – this is the first time they’ve ever played.

Premier League Darts: Michael Smith v Luke Littler

21:58 , Lawrence Ostlere

Michael Smith and Luke Littler are back on stage after impressive quarter-final wins. They share a hug and a smile – this is the first time they’ve ever played.

Gerwyn Price beats Rob Cross 6-2!

21:53 , Lawrence Ostlere

Price closed that out with a lovely 87:

Gerwyn Price beats Rob Cross 6-2!

21:48 , Lawrence Ostlere

Price closes it out in style with bull, and gets a warm congratulations from Rob Cross. Price is through to the final, where either Luke Littler or Michael Smith await.

Premier League Darts: Rob Cross 2-5 Gerwyn Price

21:46 , Lawrence Ostlere

Price hits double top to close out the seventh leg, then immediately fires a 180 at the start of the eighth. Cross is on the ropes.

Premier League Darts: Rob Cross 2-4 Gerwyn Price

21:44 , Lawrence Ostlere

Cross misses double 16 with all three darts and Price takes advantage, hitting double 12 to move two legs clear. Price made nine of last year’s 16 Premier League finals, and he’s closing in the first of 2024.

Premier League Darts: Rob Cross 2-3 Gerwyn Price

21:42 , Lawrence Ostlere

Price makes no mistake this time, hitting double 16 with his first attempt and celebrating with a punch of the air. Cross to throw at the start of the sixth leg in this first-to-six semi-final...

Premier League Darts: Rob Cross 2-2 Gerwyn Price

21:40 , Lawrence Ostlere

Cross gives Price a great look at stealing the fourth as both players miss a series of doubles, finding themselves left on five and four respectively. It’s Cross who finally kills off the leg with double two, to level at 2-2.

Premier League Darts: Rob Cross 1-2 Gerwyn Price

21:37 , Lawrence Ostlere

It takes Price six darts, but he eventually closes out the third leg. Cross then hits straight back with a 180 of his at the start of the fourth! This is a good battle.

Premier League Darts: Rob Cross 1-1 Gerwyn Price

21:35 , Lawrence Ostlere

Price rattles off the first leg but Cross responds by holding his own throw. Price, though, starts the third leg with a 180.

Premier League Darts: Rob Cross v Gerwyn Price

21:31 , Lawrence Ostlere

Here we go, Price to throw first.

Premier League Darts: Rob Cross v Gerwyn Price

21:27 , Lawrence Ostlere

So Rob Cross and Gerwyn Price return to the oche for the first semi-final. Cross didn’t need to be on top form to beat Wright in the quarter-finals and he’ll need a higher gear to topple Price, in front of his home crowd.

Luke Littler beats Luke Humphries 6-2!

21:18 , Lawrence Ostlere

That was an extraoardinary performance by Luke Littler, averaging more than 100 on his Premier League debut to down the world champion.

Luke Littler beats Luke Humphries 6-2!

21:14 , Lawrence Ostlere

Humphries is again annoyed by the crowd at the end as another whistle puts him off his stride. But I’m not sure if would have mattered – Littler was utterly ferocious there.

We’ve seen all eight players in the Premier League play once, and Luke Littler looks like the best player.

Premier League Darts: Luke Littler 5-2 Luke Humphries

21:11 , Lawrence Ostlere

Humphries responds with a 180 but it’s too little, too late. Littler has already set himself up on double 10, and he only needs one dart. That’s 5-2.

Premier League Darts: Luke Littler 4-2 Luke Humphries

21:10 , Lawrence Ostlere

Humphries pulls one leg back, but Littler is already racing through the next with treble after treble...

Premier League Darts: Luke Littler 4-1 Luke Humphries

21:08 , Lawrence Ostlere

Wow, Littler rattles off an 11-dart leg, finishing on double top, and he’s three ahead.

Premier League Darts: Luke Littler 3-1 Luke Humphries

21:07 , Lawrence Ostlere

Humphries is frustrated by something, possibly a whistle from the crowd as he took a look at double eight to win the fourth leg. He misses both attempts, and Littler cleans up to lead 3-1.

Premier League Darts: Luke Littler 2-1 Luke Humphries

21:05 , Lawrence Ostlere

Luke Littler fights back brilliantly, misses double 10 to win the leg but hits double five at the second attempt. We’re on throw.

Premier League Darts: Luke Littler 1-1 Luke Humphries

21:03 , Lawrence Ostlere

Humphries hits straight back with a dominant leg to level the score, then quickly slams home a 180 to set up a possible steal on Littler’s throw...

Premier League Darts: Luke Littler 1-0 Luke Humphries

21:02 , Lawrence Ostlere

Humphries gets the first look at this opening leg, but he misses double 16, twice. Littler makes no mistake, hitting his favourite double 10.

Premier League Darts: Luke Littler v Luke Humphries

20:59 , Lawrence Ostlere

The warm-up throws are done, and Littler will throw first.

Premier League Darts: Luke Littler v Luke Humphries

20:58 , Lawrence Ostlere

Luke Humphries is up next, and he’s given a smattering of boos, which presumably are because he beat Littler in the world final. It’s quite clear who the crowd would like to win this one. They enjoy a big hug on stage, and Humphries then cups his ears to the crowd as if to say, bring it on.

Here we go!

Premier League Darts: Luke Littler v Luke Humphries

20:56 , Lawrence Ostlere

Here they come then. “It’s time to meet Luke The Nuke Liiiiittler!!!” He looks calm, and once on stage he pumps up the crowd.

Michael Smith beats Michael van Gerwen 6-5!

20:50 , Lawrence Ostlere

So Michael Smith will take on the winner of the last quarter-final: Luke Littler v Luke Humphries, in a re-run of that epic World Championship final.

Michael Smith beats Michael van Gerwen 6-5!

20:49 , Lawrence Ostlere

Wow – I have never seen such a poor leg by Michael van Gerwen! He fails to hit a treble with 12 successive darts, and although Smith doesn’t throw an awful lot better, he does enough to stumble over the line. After a high-calibre match, that was a disastrous finish and there is little in the way of reaction from either player.

Premier League Darts: Michael van Gerwen 5-5 Michael Smith

20:45 , Lawrence Ostlere

Smith hits double 10 to take the 10th leg, and we go to a deciding leg. Van Gerwen to throw first...

Premier League Darts: Michael van Gerwen 5-4 Michael Smith

20:44 , Lawrence Ostlere

Brilliant scoring from Van Gerwen, smashing in 180s in successive legs to move ahead for the first time in this quarter-final, with only one more leg needed to reach the semis.

Premier League Darts: Michael van Gerwen 3-4 Michael Smith

20:41 , Lawrence Ostlere

Smith takes the next leg on his own throw, but Van Gerwen roars back with a 180 to set up a double 20 finish, which he hits at the first attempt. Smith retains a slight advantage.

Premier League Darts: Michael van Gerwen 2-3 Michael Smith

20:37 , Lawrence Ostlere

From 2-0 down, Van Gerwen finds his rhythm and draws back to 2-2, but he misses double top with his third dart to clinch the fifth leg. Smith makes no mistake, and he leads 3-2.

Premier League Darts: Michael van Gerwen 0-1 Michael Smith

20:31 , Lawrence Ostlere

A great start by Michael Smith, who takes the first leg against the dart. Van Gerwen with an early challenge to overcome in this quarter-final.

Premier League Darts: Michael van Gerwen v Michael Smith

20:30 , Lawrence Ostlere

Michael van Gerwen has won this tournament a record seven times, and dominated last year’s Premier League in style, beating Michael Smith in the play-off semi-final. Can Smith lay a glove here?

They’re off, Van Gerwen to start.

Gerwyn Price beats Nathan Aspinall 6-4!

20:20 , Lawrence Ostlere

So Gerwyn Price will meet Rob Cross in the first semi-final later tonight – that will be a tasty contest. Next up, it’s Michael van Gerwen v Michael Smith.

Gerwyn Price beats Nathan Aspinall 6-4!

20:19 , Lawrence Ostlere

Price wastes a golden opportunity to clinch the match, letting Aspinall back in, and the world matchplay champion takes his chance to bring it back to 5-4. Aspinall must now hold his throw to take it to a decider... he misses double top, then misses double 10 twice, and hangs his head! Price returns to the oche and finally gets the job done!

Premier League Darts: Gerwyn Price 4-3 Nathan Aspinall

20:11 , Lawrence Ostlere

Price has roared back here, playing the sort of darts that made him such a threat during last year’s Premier League series. He’s being serenaded by the Cardiff crowd as he takes the seventh leg and moves just two legs away from a place in the semi-finals.

Premier League Darts: Gerwyn Price 1-2 Nathan Aspinall

20:05 , Lawrence Ostlere

It’s been a very nervy start by Price, and Aspinall has taken full advantage by clinching the first two legs. Price hits back with a hold of his own throw, but Aspinall has the early edge here.

Premier League Darts: Gerwyn Price v Nathan Aspinall

19:56 , Lawrence Ostlere

Next up, home favourite Gerwyn Price against Nathan Aspinall. Price flashes a bright white smile as he is announced as the former champion of the world. Aspinall, by contrast, gets a few pantomime boos, as any Englishman would in Cardiff taking on Price.

Here we go then...

Rob Cross beats Peter Wright 6-3!

19:53 , Lawrence Ostlere

Some pictures of that opening battle between Cross and Wright:

Rob Cross beats Peter Wright 6-3!

19:47 , Lawrence Ostlere

It’s a slightly scrappy finish by Cross, who misses three shots at double 18 to win the match, but he’s afforded one more chance and he takes it at the first attempt.

Rob Cross is the first player through to the semi-finals.

Premier League Darts: Peter Wright 3-5 Rob Cross

19:45 , Lawrence Ostlere

Finally the throw is broken, and it’s Rob Cross who converts 109 with double 16 to take the eighth leg. He needs only one more...

Premier League Darts: Peter Wright 3-3 Rob Cross

19:41 , Lawrence Ostlere

Having said that, wow, an utter mess of a leg from both players sees them trade missed doubles. Wright wastes three tries at double five and his head sinks, but Rob Cross can’t convert double 18, or double nine, and throws his third dart anywhere at the board in frustration. Wright returns, and this time he hits double two to draw level at 3-3 in this best of 11 battle.

Premier League Darts: Peter Wright 2-2 Rob Cross

19:33 , Lawrence Ostlere

Rob Cross threw first and all of the opening four legs have gone with the throw. It’s not ferociously high scoring, but both players’ finishing has been excellent when they’ve had the chance.

Premier League Darts: Peter Wright v Rob Cross

19:24 , Lawrence Ostlere

The words ‘raucous’ and ‘darts’ tend to come together and tonight is a very good example why. It’s bedlam already in Cardiff, the crowd seem well-lubricated, and they are roaring for Scotland’s Peter Wright first up. Rob Cross seems to be the less popular of the two, and he comes in to a more low-key entrance than his opponent before him.

They shake hands and share a joke before throwing some practice darts.

Premier League Darts: Peter Wright v Rob Cross

19:14 , Lawrence Ostlere

So first up is Peter Wright v Rob Cross. Here’s Cross speaking yesterday:

“I’ve been so excited, being back in the Premier League. I’ve got my confidence back, my game’s in a good place, home life is in a good place, so I’m excited to get going.”

Premier League Darts format

18:58 , Lawrence Ostlere

The Premier League is an exclusive club consisting of the top-four ranked players and four more invitees. Each weekly mini-event consists of quarter-finals, a semi-final and a final over the best of 11 legs. Players who reach the semi-finals win two points per event, with the night’s runner-up collecting three points and the winner awarded five.

Those points contribute to a league table where, after 16 rounds, the top four players advance to the play-offs at the O2 in London in May.

Luke Littler braced for Premier League bow: ‘Pressure? I just do what I do best’

18:50 , Lawrence Ostlere

Luke Littler says he will just continue “to do what I do” as he prepares for his eagerly-awaited Premier League debut and the latest stage of a relentless playing schedule.

“It is how the calendar pans out. This is what I signed up for – a busy schedule all year long,” Littler said at a Premier League launch press conference in Cardiff’s Principality Stadium. “I just keep myself to myself – that is what I do and whatever routines I do.

“When I was going to the airport for Bahrain I said to my mum that I just wanted 10-20 weeks off, please, but the schedule is just crazy. I know when I get a day off, I just make the most of it, and I have always said once I get into the venue, that is when I am in the zone.

“I’ve seen quite a few people have said, ‘Will the pressure get to him?’ But I just do what I do, do what I do best and throw my darts in the board. I don’t really want to practise at home, because once I get a day off I don’t want to be spending hours and hours on the board, so I spend hours and hours on my Xbox instead.”

Luke Littler braced for Premier League bow: ‘Pressure? I just do what I do best’

Man United star Harry Maguire impresses in darts challenge against Luke Littler

18:43 , Lawrence Ostlere

Harry Maguire impressed his Manchester United teammates during a darts challenge - but he was no match for Luke Littler.

The 17-year-old sensation faced off with his football heroes during a showdown at their training ground.

Maguire and Christian Eriksen had nine darts each to score as high as possible and after a treble 20 early on, the defender finished with 171. Eriksen lagged a bit behind, managing 136 across nine darts.

The pair were blown away by Littler, though, who wiped their scores out with just three darts.

Luke Littler faces new test inside travelling circus of Premier League Darts

18:35 , Lawrence Ostlere

Less than a month after they met in the World Championship final, Luke Littler meets Luke Humphries again tonight in Cardiff for what will be an intriguing Premier League Darts debut for both, for very different reasons.

Humphries arrives as the new world No 1 and a world champion, having been rejected from the Premier League last year. He took that to heart and vowed to prove wrong that decision by the sport’s powers, and over the course of a stunning autumn and winter he did exactly that.

But much like their world final, the spotlight will shine brightest on his opponent. Littler is already the biggest star in darts with more than a million followers on Instagram. More than 4 million people tuned into their final on Sky Sports, making it more popular than any day during the Ashes or the Ryder Cup. It is no wonder darts’ lucrative new star was immediately invited to the Premier League, despite being the world No 31, up against players much higher in the rankings.

How Littler copes with the Premier League will be fascinating, and yet all the signs suggest that this is not a young man who is ever fazed.

Luke Littler faces new test inside travelling circus of Premier League Darts

Tonight’s fixtures

18:28 , Lawrence Ostlere

Each mini-tournament sees four quarter-finals, two semi-finals and a final played. The quarter-finals for each night have already been decided.

Night One, Thursday February 1 - Utility Arena, Cardiff

Quarter-Finals and estimated start times:

• Peter Wright v Rob Cross - 7:10pm

• Gerwyn Price v Nathan Aspinall - 7:40pm

• Michael van Gerwen v Michael Smith - 8:10pm

• Luke Littler v Luke Humphries - 8:40pm

Premier League Darts schedule

18:20 , Lawrence Ostlere

The 16 events will take the eight players around the UK and to Ireland, Germany and the Netherlands, before the top four meet in London for the play-offs in May.

• February 1: Premier League, Night One - Cardiff (Utilita Arena)

• February 8: Premier League, Night Two - Berlin (Mercedes-Benz Arena)

• February 15: Premier League, Night Three - Glasgow (OVO Hydra)

• February 22: Premier League, Night Four - Newcastle (Utilita Arena)

• February 29: Premier League, Night Five - Exeter (Westpoint)

• March 7: Premier League, Night Six - Brighton (The Brighton Centre)

• March 14: Premier League, Night Seven - Nottingham (Motorpoint Arena)

• March 21: Premier League, Night Eight - Dublin (3Arena)

• March 28: Premier League, Night Nine - Belfast (The SSE Arena)

• April 4: Premier League, Night 10 - Manchester (AO Arena)

• April 11: Premier League, Night 11 - Birmingham (Utilita Arena)

• April 18: Premier League, Night 12 - Rotterdam (Rotterdam Ahoy)

• April 25: Premier League, Night 13 - Liverpool (M&S Bank Arena)

• May 2: Premier League, Night 14 - Aberdeen (P&J Live)

• May 9: Premier League, Night 15 - Leeds (First Direct Arena)

• May 16: Premier League, Night 16 - Sheffield (Utilita Arena)

• May 23: Premier League Play-Offs - London (The O2)

How to watch the Premier League Darts?

18:14 , Lawrence Ostlere

Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch every night of Premier League action on Sky Sports. Night One is on Thursday, 1 February live from the Utilita Arena, Cardiff on Sky Sports Mix and Sky Sports Main Event from 7pm GMT. Subscribers can stream the action via Sky Go.

If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch major sporting events, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider.

Who is playing in the Premier League?

18:05 , Lawrence Ostlere

Eight players are invited to take part in the Premier League – the top four players on the Order of Merit after the World Championship and four further players chosen as wildcards by the PDC, darts’ governing body.

Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen, Michael Smith and Nathan Aspinall qualified automatically, with the PDC then giving wildcards to Luke Littler, Michael Smith, Peter Wright and Rob Cross.

What is the Premier League Darts?

17:55 , Lawrence Ostlere

One of the sport’s most popular events, the Premier League Darts sees eight of the world’s best players invited to compete in a mini tournament every Thursday evening, with each leg taking place in a different city around the UK and western Europe.

Every match is best-of-11 legs and each result contributes to an overall league table, with the winner getting five points, the runner-up three points and the two losing semi-finalists two points. The top four players after 16 rounds heading to the Premier League play-offs at the O2 Arena in London on 23 May, where an overall champion will be crowned.

Premier League Darts

15:44 , Lawrence Ostlere

Welcome along to live coverage of Premier League Darts, as 17-year-old sensation Luke Littler makes his debut in the event up against the new world champion, Luke Humphries, in a re-run of their world final a month ago.