WWE champion Drew McIntyre believes Luke Littler should lean into the boos, run his mouth, and fully embrace becoming darts’ villain—because “it’s boring when the good guy wins all the time.”
During his dominant run to back-to-back World Championship titles, Luke Littler let his darts do most of the talking. But occasionally, he let his mouth do some work too. And according to one of WWE’s biggest stars, that’s exactly what the 19-year-old world number one should keep doing.
Drew McIntyre, the Scottish professional wrestler and current WWE champion, has watched Littler’s meteoric rise with interest. And he’s noticed something that anyone who watched the 2026 World Championship couldn’t miss: the boos are starting to come.
For the first time in his young career, sections of the Alexandra Palace crowd turned on “The Nuke.” And when they did, Littler didn’t shrink. He fired back with a line that’s already become legendary: “You guys pay for tickets. That pays for my prize money. Thank you for my money.”
McIntyre loved it. And he thinks Littler should do a lot more of it.
“People Get Bored of It”
Speaking to SPORTbible, the WWE champion laid out his advice for the teenage darts sensation: success breeds resentment, and Littler needs to be ready for it.
“He is still young. Eventually, if you just keep winning, winning, winning, people get bored of it or whatever,” McIntyre explained. “He is probably getting some of the stick that is getting to him, so lean into it.”
This is wrestling 101, of course. In WWE, the “heel” (villain) is often the most compelling character. They draw heat from the crowd, generate controversy, and—crucially—sell tickets.
McIntyre believes the same dynamic can work in darts. And he thinks Littler is already halfway there.
“Start saying how you feel, as long as you keep the performances going and the victories coming,” the Scot continued. “You have to win when you talk that much trash. More people will show up — it is going to generate more interest in darts.”
There’s the key caveat: you can only be the villain if you keep winning. The moment you start losing while talking trash, you become a joke rather than a heel. But for Littler, who’s currently on a 20-match unbeaten streak in televised ranking major tournaments, that doesn’t seem to be a problem.
“Start Running His Mouth”
McIntyre saw Littler’s post-match interview after facing the boo-boys at Alexandra Palace, and it clearly made an impression.
“He starts leaning into it and starts running his mouth like he did in that one interview after the crowd were giving him a bit of stick,” McIntyre said. “That is what makes attendances grow. It is always historic.”
The interview McIntyre is referring to came after Littler’s semi-final victory over Ryan Searle at the 2026 World Championship. The crowd had been giving Littler some stick, booing him during his walk-on and at various points during the match.
Afterward, Littler didn’t play the gracious champion or brush it off diplomatically. He hit back.
“A few boos, a few cheers, but it’s been a good crowd,” he told Sky Sports with a knowing smile. Then came the kicker, delivered with perfect comedic timing:
“You guys pay for tickets. That pays for my prize money. Thank you for my money.”
It was cheeky. It was cocky. And it was absolutely perfect.
The quote went viral immediately. Social media erupted. Some fans loved the confidence. Others felt he was being disrespectful. But everyone was talking about it.
And that, according to McIntyre, is exactly the point.
The Muhammad Ali Comparison
McIntyre didn’t just theorize about villains drawing crowds—he provided a historical precedent from the absolute pinnacle of sports entertainment.
“If you look at Muhammad Ali, people hated him. They paid to see him lose. But he was too good,” McIntyre said.
It’s a powerful comparison. Muhammad Ali is now revered as one of the greatest athletes and cultural icons of all time. But during his peak years in the 1960s and 1970s, he was deeply polarizing.
His refusal to be drafted for the Vietnam War, his conversion to Islam, his unapologetic confidence—all of it made him a controversial figure. Many people paid to watch his fights specifically hoping to see him get knocked out.
But Ali kept winning. And he kept talking. “I am the greatest!” wasn’t just bravado—it was a carefully constructed persona designed to generate interest, sell tickets, and cement his legacy.
McIntyre believes Littler could follow a similar path.
“People pay extra money for heels,” he explained. “It’s boring if the good guy wins all the time.”
This is a fundamental truth in entertainment, whether it’s wrestling, boxing, or—increasingly—darts. A compelling villain creates drama, generates emotional investment, and ultimately brings more eyes to the sport.
Love and Hate Are Two Sides of the Same Coin
McIntyre also touched on something that anyone who’s worked in entertainment understands: the line between being loved and being hated is incredibly thin.
“I’m excited to see him go to the dark side. Get the numbers up and there is a fine line between love and hate,” McIntyre said. “He will turn good again and be even bigger down the future.”
This is strategic thinking. If Littler leans into the villain role now—while he’s young, dominant, and winning everything—it creates a narrative arc.
Right now, he’s the unstoppable heel who talks trash and backs it up. Fans either love his confidence or hate his arrogance. Either way, they’re invested.
But eventually, as he gets older, matures, and perhaps faces some adversity, there’s a natural redemption arc available. The cocky kid becomes the gracious champion. The villain transforms into the hero. And when that happens, McIntyre argues, Littler will be even bigger than if he’d just been nice the whole time.
It’s a long-game strategy that’s worked for countless athletes and entertainers. Floyd Mayweather perfected it in boxing. Conor McGregor used it to become the biggest star in MMA. Cristiano Ronaldo embraced the villain role at Real Madrid and became even more beloved afterward.
The arc requires patience, self-awareness, and—most importantly—continued excellence. But the payoff can be enormous.
Why Littler Should Listen
So why should a 19-year-old darts player take advice from a professional wrestler?
Because Drew McIntyre knows exactly what he’s talking about.
The 6’5″ Scotsman has been performing in front of crowds for nearly two decades. He’s played both the hero and the villain. He’s experienced the highs of being cheered and the lows of being booed. He’s learned how to work a crowd, generate heat, and turn controversy into cash.
And crucially, he’s seen what happens to athletes who don’t adapt to the changing dynamics of success.
When you first break through, everyone loves you. You’re the underdog, the fresh face, the exciting new talent. But sustained success changes the equation. Fans start to resent dominance. They want variety. They want drama. They want someone to root against.
If you don’t give them a villain, they’ll make you one anyway—only without your control over the narrative.
McIntyre is essentially telling Littler: “This is happening whether you like it or not. You might as well embrace it and profit from it.”
The Current Reality
Let’s assess where Luke Littler actually stands right now.
At 19 years old, he’s:
- Back-to-back World Champion
- World number one
- Holder of the World Championship, UK Open, World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, Grand Slam, and Players Championship titles
- Winner of 10 PDC major titles (fourth all-time)
- On a 20-match unbeaten streak in televised ranking major tournaments
- Earning a reported £20 million from his 10-year Target Darts contract
- The first player to win the new £1 million World Championship prize
He’s won 37 of his last 38 matches at televised ranking major tournaments. His only loss in 20 matches at Alexandra Palace was the 2024 final against Luke Humphries.
This is the kind of dominance that breeds resentment. And it’s already starting to show.
At the 2026 World Championship, the Ally Pally crowd—traditionally one of the most partisan and boisterous in sports—started turning on him. Boos mixed with cheers during his walk-on. Sections of the crowd rooted against him.
For a kid who was universally beloved just two years ago, this has to be jarring. And it’s only going to get worse if he keeps winning.
The Precedent in Darts
This isn’t new territory for darts. Michael van Gerwen experienced something similar during his period of dominance from 2014-2017.
MVG won two World Championships, dominated the Premier League, and generally made most tournaments look easy. And the more he won, the more crowds started to turn on him.
Part of it was his on-stage persona—the fist pumps, the celebrations, the intensity. But mostly it was just success fatigue. Fans wanted someone else to win. They wanted drama. They wanted uncertainty.
Van Gerwen never fully embraced the villain role in the way McIntyre is suggesting Littler should. He remained relatively diplomatic in interviews, didn’t talk much trash, and generally tried to win fans back with his performances.
It worked to some extent—MVG is still hugely popular—but the boos never fully went away during his peak years.
Littler has a choice: he can try to win everyone back by being humble and gracious, or he can lean into the heel role and maximize the entertainment value.
McIntyre is clearly arguing for the latter.
The Risks
Of course, there are risks to embracing a villain persona.
First, you have to keep winning. If Littler starts talking trash and then loses to James Wade in the second round of the European Championship (which, to be fair, did happen in October), he looks foolish rather than confident.
The villain role only works if you can back it up. And while Littler has been phenomenally consistent, he’s still 19. Slumps happen. Form dips. Bad days occur.
Second, sponsors and partners might not love it. Littler’s image has been relatively clean and family-friendly. His Target Darts deal, his BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award, his honorary citizenship of Warrington—all of that was built on being a likeable, grounded kid who happened to be brilliant at darts.
Becoming a trash-talking heel might complicate that image. Some sponsors love controversy; others run from it.
Third, there’s the question of whether Littler’s personality actually fits the role. He seems naturally humble and good-natured. The “thank you for my money” line felt spontaneous rather than calculated. Can he sustain a villain persona if it’s not authentic to who he is?
These are legitimate concerns. But McIntyre’s counterargument would be that the alternative—trying to be universally loved while dominating everyone—is ultimately unsustainable and less profitable.
What the Future Holds
Littler’s immediate focus is continuing to win. He started 2026 with victory at the inaugural Saudi Arabia Darts Masters, defeating Michael van Gerwen 8-5 in the final.
On January 29, he returns to the oche at the Winmau World Masters, where he’ll be aiming to add that title to his already impressive resume for the first time.
Whether he shows up as Luke Littler the humble champion or Luke Littler the cocky villain remains to be seen.
But based on McIntyre’s advice—and the crowd reactions he’s already receiving—the latter might be his path to even greater fame and fortune.
The Broader Context
Drew McIntyre’s comments about Littler come at an interesting time for darts. The sport is experiencing unprecedented growth, driven largely by “Littlermania.”
TV ratings are through the roof. Dartboard sales have exploded. Youth participation is surging. Prize money is increasing across the board. The 2026 World Championship offered a record £1 million to the winner.
Much of this is directly attributable to Littler’s emergence. He brought a new, younger demographic to the sport. He made darts cool for teenagers. He generated mainstream media coverage that darts hasn’t seen since the Phil Taylor era.
But with growth comes new dynamics. The sport is becoming more commercialized, more professionalized, and—yes—more theatrical.
McIntyre’s advice to embrace the villain role fits perfectly with this evolution. If darts wants to continue growing and attracting new fans, it needs storylines, rivalries, and drama.
A humble, soft-spoken champion who wins everything politely is fine. But a cocky young superstar who talks trash, fires back at boo-boys, and backs up every word with dominant performances? That’s entertainment.
The Wrestling Parallel
It’s worth noting that professional wrestling and darts aren’t as far apart as you might think.
Both are theatrical. Both involve crowd participation and audience reaction as a core component. Both benefit from strong personalities and compelling narratives.
The key difference is that wrestling’s outcomes are predetermined, while darts results are real. But that doesn’t mean darts can’t borrow some of wrestling’s entertainment principles.
Walkout songs, entrance routines, celebration styles, post-match interviews—all of these are opportunities to build a character and connect with (or antagonize) the audience.
Littler’s walkout to “Greenlight” by Pitbull is already iconic. His dartboard celebration is instantly recognizable. His interviews, when he lets his personality show, are gold.
McIntyre is essentially telling him: “You’ve got all the tools. Now use them more deliberately.”
Why It’s “Boring When the Good Guy Wins All the Time”
McIntyre’s quote—”It’s boring if the good guy wins all the time”—is worth unpacking.
Why is it boring? Shouldn’t we want to celebrate excellence and root for the best performer?
The answer lies in human psychology and the nature of storytelling.
We crave conflict. We want struggle. We need stakes. If the outcome is predictable and the hero is perfect, there’s no tension. There’s no drama. There’s no reason to get emotionally invested.
A heel—a villain who might actually win—creates uncertainty. Suddenly, you’re watching to see if the good guys can overcome the bad guy. You’re emotionally invested in the outcome rather than just appreciating technical excellence.
In Littler’s case, if he’s just a nice kid who wins everything, fans will eventually become numb to it. “Oh, Littler won again. How unexpected.” It becomes routine.
But if Littler is a cocky villain who talks trash and claims he’s going to dominate everyone, suddenly every match has stakes. Will someone finally shut him up? Will he back up his words? Can anyone stop this arrogant kid?
The drama increases. The emotional investment increases. And ultimately, the viewership and revenue increase.
The Verdict
Drew McIntyre’s advice to Luke Littler is simultaneously provocative and practical.
On one hand, it’s easy to dismiss it as a wrestler trying to impose wrestling logic onto a completely different sport. Darts isn’t scripted entertainment; it’s genuine competition. The fans deserve authenticity, not manufactured personas.
On the other hand, McIntyre makes several compelling points that are hard to argue with:
- Sustained dominance breeds resentment. This is simply a fact. Fans eventually tire of watching the same person win, no matter how talented they are.
- Controversy generates interest. Love him or hate him, more people will tune in to watch Littler if he’s polarizing rather than universally beloved.
- You can’t control how fans react, but you can control how you respond. The boos are coming regardless. Littler can either shrink from them or weaponize them.
- There’s a redemption arc available. If Littler plays the villain now and transforms into a gracious champion later, it creates a compelling narrative that could make him even bigger.
- Ali proved it works. The Muhammad Ali comparison is powerful. Ali was hated in his prime and is now revered. His willingness to be the villain—and back it up with performances—cemented his legacy.
The question for Littler is whether he wants to take the path of maximum entertainment (and probably maximum earnings) or stay true to his naturally humble personality.
Based on the “thank you for my money” comment, it seems like there’s at least some heel in there waiting to come out.
Whether the 19-year-old world number one decides to fully unleash it remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: Drew McIntyre will be watching. And probably cheering for the boos.
The Bottom Line: WWE champion Drew McIntyre told Luke Littler to embrace the villain role brought on by his darting dominance, arguing that “if you just keep winning, winning, winning, people get bored of it.” McIntyre advised Littler to “lean into it” and “start running his mouth,” comparing him to Muhammad Ali who “people hated” and “paid to see lose.” The wrestler believes Littler should embrace the boos, talk trash as long as he keeps winning, and understand that “it’s boring if the good guy wins all the time.” McIntyre predicts that playing the villain now will make Littler even bigger when he eventually “turns good again,” creating a compelling narrative arc. Littler’s “you guys pay for tickets, that pays for my prize money” response to boo-boys at the World Championship was exactly the kind of attitude McIntyre wants to see more of.
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