Dennis Priestley’s Harsh Reality Check: Luke Littler Wouldn’t Match Phil Taylor’s Prime
Dennis Priestley, the 1991 PDC World Champion, delivered a blunt reality check to 18-year-old darts sensation Luke Littler, stating he wouldn’t “get close” to Phil Taylor in his prime, per Mirror.co.uk. This assessment, despite Littler’s remarkable 2024-2025 season, underscores the towering legacy of Taylor’s 16 world titles and highlights the challenges Littler faces, akin to the resilience shown by athletes like Holger Rune and Jannik Sinner.
**Priestley’s Assessment**
In an OLBG interview, Priestley, 74, asserted, “Phil Taylor in his prime was more consistent than even Luke Humphries and Luke Littler are at the moment… If you put a prime Phil Taylor into the current game, he would be world No. 1 with Humphries in second and Littler in third,” per Express.co.uk. He emphasized Taylor’s unmatched consistency across his 14 PDC and 2 BDO world titles, suggesting Littler’s current form, while exceptional, falls short of Taylor’s peak, per Mirror.co.uk. Priestley ranked Humphries above Littler, citing Taylor’s dominance as a benchmark, per Express.co.uk.
**Littler’s Ambition and Counterpoint**
Littler, who became the youngest PDC World Champion at 17 by defeating Michael van Gerwen 7-3 in January 2025, has set his sights on Taylor’s record, declaring, “If I want to break the record of Phil Taylor’s, I’ve got the ability to,” per SkySports.com. On the Stick to Football podcast, Littler argued Taylor might struggle in today’s competitive field, saying, “Nowadays, I think Phil would struggle,” due to the depth of talent, per Mirror.co.uk. Taylor, 64, responded on talkSPORT, warning Littler must remain dedicated for 25 years, per Express.co.uk, and advised on lifestyle choices like proper shoes and sleep, per DailyMail.co.uk.
**Littler’s Stellar Season**
Littler’s 2024-2025 haul includes 11 titles—World Championship, Premier League, Grand Slam, World Series, and UK Open—earning £1.5 million, per TheGuardian.com. In the 2025 Premier League, he led with a record 45 points and six nightly wins but lost 11-8 to Humphries in the May 29 final, where Humphries, guided by Taylor’s advice, averaged 97.86 to Littler’s 100.29, per DailyMail.co.uk. Littler’s defiant gestures against booing crowds in Leeds and his cheeky football jab at Humphries show his confidence, per GBNews.com, Express.co.uk.
**Parallels to Resilience**
Priestley’s reality check mirrors challenges faced by others. Rune’s attitude, questioned by Tim Henman after a French Open fan clash, reflects navigating scrutiny, per Express.co.uk. Sinner’s Court Philippe-Chatrier snub at the 2025 French Open sparked fan outrage, yet he pressed on, per sportskeeda.com. Sabalenka’s defense of Djokovic, Raducanu’s grass season focus, and Humphries’ Taylor-inspired win highlight resilience, per express.co.uk, Bolavip.com, DailyMail.co.uk.
**Conclusion**
Dennis Priestley claimed Luke Littler wouldn’t rival a prime Phil Taylor, ranking him below Humphries and Taylor, per Mirror.co.uk, Express.co.uk. Littler, eyeing Taylor’s 16 world titles, believes modern competition could challenge Taylor, per SkySports.com. Like Rune’s defiance, Sinner’s focus, and Sabalenka’s advocacy, Littler’s ambition persists. He and Humphries, who bested him with Taylor’s mentorship, compete at the World Cup of Darts, June 12-15, live on Sky Sport
