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Despite losing his world number one status after a defeat by Luke Littler in the Grand Slam of Darts final, Luke Humphries was in bullish mood after the match.

And the 30-year-old is motivated to get himself back on top.

"I am going to win the Worlds," he told Sky Sports after that match.

"I am declaring war on him. I'm playing good. Tiredness just crept in at the end there. We're going to go to war at the World Championships, we'll see who is the one there."

Asked if he thinks he and Littler are in a league of their own, Humphries added: "Yeah, I do. I don't feel arrogant saying that. What can us two do? We're on opposite sides of the draw and people can stop us.

"I am trying to stop him and I can't. It is up to everyone else to stop us. At the moment us two are playing a level of this sport that is better than everyone else.

"I want to play another world final against him."

But Littler was not going to back down from the challenge, and agreed that there is a sizeable gap between the world's top two and the rest.

"It definitely is war because if someone takes it off you then you want it back. You don't want to be second," he said.

"I think we are [in a different league from the rest]. The finals show it, the stats show it and like Luke said, if everyone is getting bored of me and him then someone needs to stop us otherwise we're going to keep winning.

"One and two, we're going to meet in the final if we get past our opponents. Long may it continue.

"Me and Luke have sort of done the same in titles. Now I've got the number one spot and he wants it back. We're going to be battling even more, I think we're going to be playing well because obviously he wants it back and I don't want to give it away.

"You're going to see many more great games."

Well, Littler is definitely favourite to go back-to-back but there is one man who is backing himself to stop him...

More from Luke Littler's interview with Sky Sports from earlier tonight, speaking about aiming to win successive world titles: "It's been a decade now since someone went back-to-back, that was Gary Anderson. To go back-to-back would mean everything."

On his highlights since winning the world title at the start of 2025: "I'd probably say the Matchplay. I've not picked up four majors this year, the rest I've picked up so it's been a very good year. I was gutted to lose the Premier League to Luke [Humphries]. There's always next year to tick off the ones I've not got yet.

"I feel even better than I did last year and the stats go to show that. Practice has been going well and all the exhibitions I do behind the scenes, that keeps us on our toes. I've had some good games with Michael van Gerwen on the exhibition circuit, good games with Nathan [Aspinall], and it all leads up to tonight."

On his biggest threats for the title: "Obviously you've got Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen - but just going off records, I think Gerwyn Price is the hardest game. He's in my quarter.

"At the start of last year, he won five or six on the bounce, but I've won the past seven or eight so I've got that over him. We both know we can beat each other, we had a really good game at the Grand Prix.

"But everyone is a danger."

Matthew Edgar
Former PDC professional, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live

When I go back to me growing up, I was a massive darts fan and for me to get darts on the high street, I could go to one shop and get it out of the catalogue, and there were about four options.

Now, I went the other day to get some Christmas presents and there are Luke Littler dartboards in a toy shop. I went to buy a new TV and there's a Littler dartboard and darts in a telly shop. Everywhere on the high street now is starting to get darts and it's always Luke Littler. That's the impact he's having.

The impact has always been there with regards to the numbers within the sport, but we've never had that player that's been able to transcend it into the mainstream.

Image source, Getty Images

Luke Littler spoke to Sky Sports earlier, before he starts the defence of his world title: "Even waking up in the morning and knowing I'm playing on stage tonight, it still gives me that buzz. I can't wait for tonight.

"This was my first big tournament in the PDC [when he reached the final in January 2024] so there are always memories, good and bad, coming back here."

On a nervous first outing in last year's tournament: "My mum and dad have said whatever happened last year, don't let it happen this year, because I don't think they want to be feeling that nervous again - because they knew I was nervous. Last year was really tough.

"I'm looking forward to it and whatever happens, happens."

OK then, it's Luke Littler time...

Michael Smith got the job done, finishing with a 91.19 average - dragged down by a nervy opening set and that sloppy finishing late on.

But he's up and running and can prepare for the next round.

"The butterflies were bad this morning," Smith tells Sky Sports. "I'm glad to be through."

Brilliant stuff from Michael Smith.

From 2-1 down in the first set, he wins the next seven legs on the spin, with an 11-darter putting Bully Boy a leg from victory.

He makes a meal of it in the next leg, six match darts go begging before Lisa Ashton finally punishes him to keep the match going.

No such laxness from Smith in the next leg, though. Double 18 to finish the job.

The former champion is safely though.

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Darius Labanauskas has form for doing well at the World Championship.

The 49-year-old from Lithuania reached the quarter-finals in the 2020 event, losing to Michael van Gerwen in the last eight.

In December 2021, he became one of the select band of players to hit a nine-dart finish at Alexandra Palace.

He is currently 95th in the PDC world rankings.

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World champion Luke Littler begins his title defence next and he's feeling confident...

"I'm on top of the world and my performances prove it. I am playing the best darts in the world and that's why I'm number one," Littler told BBC Sport.

"I'm on a different level and I've got to keep it up for December and early January."

The 18-year-old takes on Lithuania's Darius Labanauskas in this evening's third match and while Littler will be expected to take care of business, it has the potential to be a tricky contest...

The crowd are singing Lisa Ashton's name but Michael Smith has taken complete control of this match.

He starts the second set with six perfect darts on his way to a 12-dart hold, promptly breaks in the next and holds again with minimal fuss to move a set away from the next round.

BBC Sounds

With the meteoric rise of Luke Littler, the 18-year-old who has swept to the top of darts, the sport's popularity is at an all-time high - so where does it go from here?

Sports promoter and head of Matchroom Barry Hearn and 10th seed Gian van Veen join John Bennett to discuss.

• Listen on BBC Sounds

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Beau Greaves topped the Women's Series and faces Daryl Gurney first as she looks to become only the second female player to register a win in the tournament, after fellow qualifier Fallon Sherrock who won twice in December 2019.

Three places were on offer from the Women's Series, along with a spot for the Women's Matchplay winner - a title taken by Lisa Ashton.

With Greaves qualifying in her own right as runner-up on the development tour, that meant Women's Series runner-up Sherrock, Noa-Lynn van Leuven in fourth and Gemma Hayter, who finished fifth, join third-placed Ashton.

Van Leuven, who was the first transgender player in the tournament last year when she lost in the first round to Kevin Doets, plays two-time champion Peter Wright this time around.

Image source, PA Media

Relief for Michael Smith as he breaks in the deciding leg to take the first set.

He missed darts to break Lisa Ashton's throw a couple of legs previous but no mistake this time.

Double eight hit, no reaction from Bully Boy as he walks off at the break.

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Phil Taylor is the most successful player in World Darts Championship history, winning 14 of his 16 world titles in the PDC between 1995 and 2013.

His previous two titles came before a group of leading players broke away from the British Darts Organisation to form their own governing body, now known as the PDC, in 1993.

The past five years has produced five different world champions, with English trio Littler, Humphries and Michael Smith winning the past three.

Littler and Humphries will hope to join the exclusive club of players to have won multiple world titles, with only six managing to achieve that feat so far.

• 2025: Luke Littler
• 2024: Luke Humphries
• 2023: Michael Smith
• 2022: Peter Wright
• 2021: Gerwyn Price
• 2020: Peter Wright
• 2019: Michael van Gerwen
• 2018: Rob Cross
• 2017: Michael van Gerwen
• 2016: Gary Anderson
• 2015: Gary Anderson
• 2014: Michael van Gerwen
• 2013: Phil Taylor
• 2012: Adrian Lewis
• 2011: Adrian Lewis
• 2010: Phil Taylor
• 2009: Phil Taylor
• 2008: John Part
• 2007: Raymond van Barneveld
• 2006: Phil Taylor
• 2005: Phil Taylor
• 2004: Phil Taylor
• 2003: John Part
• 2002: Phil Taylor
• 2001: Phil Taylor
• 2000: Phil Taylor
• 1999: Phil Taylor
• 1998: Phil Taylor
• 1997: Phil Taylor
• 1996: Phil Taylor
• 1995: Phil Taylor
• 1994: Dennis Priestley

A hold apiece to start this one, that should help both players to settle early on.

Lisa Ashton hit double 12 to win the first before Michael Smith finishes the second by hitting tops.

Neither of these two hang around so it could be a pretty frenetic pace to this one.

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Lisa Ashton confirmed her place in this year's PDC World Championship by winning the Women's World Matchplay in Blackpool in July.

The 55-year-old has made four previous appearances at the tournament, but is yet to win a match at Alexandra Palace.

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Michael Smith was the champion at Alexandra Palace in January 2023, hitting a nine-dart finish in the final on his way to victory against Michael van Gerwen.

The Englishman has been unable to consistently produce his best form since then, not helped by struggles with arthritis in his right hand and other injury issues, and enters this year's tournament ranked 28th in the world.

An encouraging performance at last month's Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton, where he reached the quarter-finals, will surely boost hopes of another deep run at the Ally Pally.

Big match up next as 2023 champion Michael Smith takes on Lisa Ashton, a legend of the women's game.

Smith is hoping to bounce back after dropping off somewhat over the past couple of years, while Ashton is looking for her first Ally Pally victory.

A record-breaking £5m prize pool will be on offer at the tournament, with £1m going to the winner.

Any player hitting a nine-darter will be awarded an additional £60,000. One lucky fan in attendance will also receive £60,000 from the tournament sponsor, as will Prostate Cancer UK.

Winning that match has earned Arno Merk at least an extra £10,000 - no wonder he was so thrilled to get through!

• Winner: £1,000,000
• Runner-up: £400,000
• Semi-final losers: £200,000
• Quarter-final losers: £100,000
• Fourth-round losers: £60,000
• Third-round losers: £35,000
• Second-round losers: £25,000
• First-round losers: £15,000