Luke Humphries admitted that Michael van Gerwen was punched by close friend Vincent van der Voort – not once, but twice.

Despite being unable to clinch a major title and having a somewhat underwhelming campaign in 2024, Mighty Mike still managed to win a series of ranking titles, make it to a Matchplay final and reach the showpiece at Ally Pally, where he was bested by darting sensation Luke Littler.

His rather lacklustre year hasn’t, however, obscured the fact that Van Gerwen remains a magnetic presence and exceptional talent on the Pro Tour – and one of the names to beat within the PDC.

Yet, an ego that has been built up after years of dominance can sometimes grow too large, as Humphries recalls Van der Voort having to rein in his friend on multiple occasions.

When asked about who has the biggest ego in darts on the Happy Hour podcast, Cool Hand didn’t hesitate. “Well, that’s easy; Michael van Gerwen,” he stated.

“He wears it really, really well. It kind of suits him in a weird way. He just kind of… I think it’s a Dutch thing as well. They’re kind of like that. He’s got a great friend in Vincent. I think that Vincent’s really good for him.”

Van der Voort, an icon in his own right with a UK Open final appearance and four PDC titles under his belt, is celebrated for his distinctive erratic throw. Although the Dutch duo are now on the same page, it seems they’ve had their fair share of clashes in the past, reports the Express.

“Because I think there was a story he told me once, Vincent, that he’s actually punched Michael a couple of times in the face,” Humphries added. “Like punched him.

The PDC set up a disciplinary committee to look into the matter as it has zero tolerance for physical abuse. Van def Voort was issued a 3 year BAN for his indiscipline.