Gerwyn Price’s Salty Post-Match Jabs at Luke Littler After Dramatic World Grand Prix Exit
The 2025 World Grand Prix quarterfinal between Luke Littler and Gerwyn Price was a five-set epic that had everything—mind games, clutch checkouts, and a ridiculous ricochet finish—but it was Price’s salty social media response immediately after his 3-2 sets defeat that stole the show. The Welsh world No. 7, who had warned pre-match that he was “not scared of anybody” and vowed to “put Littler under pressure,” took a thinly veiled dig at the 18-year-old champion on X (formerly Twitter), posting a cryptic meme about “talk is cheap” just minutes after Littler’s 121 checkout sealed the £25,000 win on October 10 at Leicester’s Mattioli Arena. Price’s “salty” comment, laced with frustration over the crowd and his missed match darts, has ignited a firestorm, with fans accusing him of sour grapes while Littler laughed it off in his on-stage interview.
The Epic Clash: Price’s Pressure Meets Littler’s Poise
Price entered the showdown with bravado, telling GB News he “really wanted” the matchup and believed his A-game would win “nine times out of 10,” while claiming rivals were “scared” of Littler like they were of Phil Taylor. The match delivered: Littler took the opener 3-1 with a 101.23 average and a 121 checkout, but Price leveled at 1-1 with a 3-2 second set, reeling off five straight legs including a 140-finish. The Welshman forced a decider with a 3-1 fourth set, hitting four 180s to Littler’s six, and led 2-1 in the fifth before the drama unfolded.
In leg four of Set 5, needing 40 for the match, Price fired a dart at D20 that clipped the wire, ricocheted straight back, and landed in his hand mid-throw—a “ridiculous” mishap that drew gasps and chuckles from the 3,000-strong crowd. Littler, bursting into laughter from the oche, capitalized on the momentum shift, breaking Price and closing with a 121 on D18 for the 3-2 clincher. “That dart coming back? Pure comedy,” Littler quipped on Sky Sports. Price’s 99.87 average and 60% doubles couldn’t match Littler’s 101.23 and 75% double-ins, evening their head-to-head at 3-3.
Price’s Salty X Post: “Talk Is Cheap” Dig at Littler?
Moments after the final dart, Price posted a meme on X featuring a cartoon character with the caption “Talk is cheap,” accompanied by a smirking emoji—widely interpreted as a jab at Littler’s pre-match confidence and the Leicester crowd’s pro-Littler chants. The post, viewed 150k times within an hour, sparked backlash: “Salty much, Gerwyn? You missed the match darts, not the talk.” Fans noted Price’s history of crowd friction, including a 2023 Players Championship rant at Hildesheim spectators.
Price later clarified on Instagram Stories: “Great game with Luke—he’s a beast. The board had other ideas today. On to Minehead.” But the initial post’s timing—seconds after the ricochet miss—fueled accusations of pettiness, with #PriceSalty trending. Littler, ever the good sport, retweeted a clip of the finish with laughing emojis, replying: “Legend of a game, Gerwyn—next time! 😂”
The Bigger Rivalry: Price’s Mind Games Backfire
Price’s pre-match bravado—”I’m here to win; if my A-game is there, I win”—rang hollow as Littler’s composure shone, much like their 2024 Grand Slam final (Littler 16-7). The Welshman’s doubling woes (missing 12 of 20) and the infamous ricochet became memes, with one viral edit overlaying the dart’s return with Price’s “not scared” quote: “Talk is cheap—literally bounced back!” Sky Sports’ Wayne Mardle called it “darts’ funniest finish since MvG’s phone,” while Paul Nicholson noted: “Gerwyn’s pressure tactic flipped on him—Littler’s too cool.”
Price, now 2-3 lifetime against Littler, exits with £15,000 but remains seeded seventh for Minehead’s Players Championship Finals. “Fair play to Luke—he earned it,” Price conceded, but his salty X post lingers as a reminder: In darts, the oche’s unforgiving, and the aftermath even more so.
| Player | Average | 180s | Key Moment | Outcome |
|——–|———|——|————|———|
| Luke Littler | 101.23 | 6 | 121 checkout to seal Set 5 | Winner (3-2 sets) |
| Gerwyn Price | 99.87 | 4 | D20 ricochet miss in final leg | Loser (2-3 sets) |
As Littler eyes Humphries in the semis, Price’s “talk is cheap” post serves as salty motivation—the Nuke’s laughing, but the rivalry’s just heating up.
