Latest news with #TheMachine
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Darts star James Wade branded ‘disrespectful' over antics in Luke Littler match
JAMES WADE has been labelled 'disrespectful' after refusing to stay on stage in the aftermath of his World Matchplay final defeat to Luke Littler. The World No.5 lost 18-13 to the teen sensation who became the youngest champion in the tournament's history. 2 James Wade left the stage immediately after losing the World Matchplay final to Luke Littler Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 2 The 42-year-old was criticised for leaving the stage early Credit: Getty 'The Machine' slipped quietly off the oche following their bout as Littler soaked up the spotlight solo. Sky Sports pundits Michael Bridge and Chris Murphy took aim at Wade for his actions in Blackpool. Bridge said: 'I got it clarified that there were no issues with Luke or the crowd or anything like that. 'He was just angry at himself, which is fine, but we would have liked to have heard from him.' READ MORE ON DARTS FLIGHT CLUB Darts star Luke Littler and girlfriend Faith shared loved-up selfie on flight Murphy added: 'I thought it was disrespectful for him not to be on the stage at the end. 'Whether he does an interview or not is up to him, but not to be there when Luke is receiving the trophy, that is disrespectful. 'Just stand there for a minute and applaud, and then say, 'I don't want to talk.' 'There's a serious side with James of course. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS 'We know about his mental health and his mental illnesses that he suffers with and that he's trying to combat all the time. 'But I think he maybe needs a little bit of guidance and support with that. 'If he's not up to doing a press conference straight after a match, maybe he should be approaching the PDC and asking about facilitating his press conference when he returns for the next round in a better frame of mind.'
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Darts star James Wade branded ‘disrespectful' over antics in Luke Littler match
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) JAMES WADE has been labelled as 'disrespectful' after refusing to stay on stage in the aftermath of his World Matchplay final defeat to Luke Littler. The World No.5 lost 18-13 to the teen sensation who became the youngest champion in the tournament's history. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 James Wade left the stage immediately after losing the World Matchplay final to Luke Littler Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 2 The 42-year-old was criticised for leaving the stage early Credit: Getty 'The Machine' slipped away quietly off the oche following their bout as Littler soaked up the spotlight solo. Sky Sports pundits Michael Bridge and Chris Murphy took aim at Wade for his actions in Blackpool. Bridge said: 'I got it clarified that there were no issues with Luke or the crowd or anything like that. 'He was just angry at himself, which is fine, but we would have liked to have heard from him.' READ MORE ON DARTS FLIGHT CLUB Darts star Luke Littler and girlfriend Faith shared loved-up selfie on flight Murphy added: 'I thought it was disrespectful for him not to be on the stage at the end. 'Whether he does an interview or not is up to him, but not to be there when Luke is receiving the trophy, that is disrespectful. 'Just stand there for a minute and applaud, and then say, 'I don't want to talk.' 'There's a serious side with James of course. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS 'We know about his mental health and his mental illnesses that he suffers with and that he's trying to combat all the time. 'But I think he maybe needs a little bit of guidance and support with that. 'If he's not up to doing a press conference straight after a match, maybe he should be approaching the PDC and asking about facilitating his press conference when he returns for the next round in a better frame of mind.'
News18
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Merab Dvalishvili To Feature In Karan Aujla's Music Video?
UFC champ Merab Dvalishvili is set to appear in Karan Aujla's Punjabi music video. UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili has surprised fans by stepping out of the Octagon and into the world of Punjabi music with a cameo in superstar Karan Aujla's next music video. A now-deleted brief clip of the Georgian fighter arriving on set in Canada has already ignited an online frenzy, as viewers eagerly anticipate seeing 'The Machine" alongside one of India's biggest recording artists. In the video posted on social media, Dvalishvili greets the camera with his trademark stoicism before breaking into a wide grin. 'Great quick trip to Canada to be in @karanaujla new music video this weekend! Next time I will hope to stay longer!" he says, promising more behind-the-scenes moments once production wraps. Karan Aujla- whose string of chart-toppers has made him a global phenomenon – shared the clip on his Instagram Stories, teasing fans with a snippet of the upcoming single's audio track. Reactions poured in from both MMA and music communities. One viewer joked, 'Only Merab could land a fight and a feature with equal swagger," while another praised the champion's willingness to experiment outside his comfort zone. Though details about the song's title and release date remain under wraps, insiders suggest the video will debut later this month, timed to coincide with Aujla's international tour. Production sources describe a cinematic approach, featuring dynamic camera angles and vibrant set pieces that showcase Merab performing basic dance moves, intercut with clips of his rigorous training regimen. This contrast is expected to highlight the fighter's dual identity as both a world-class athlete and a newcomer to Bollywood-style music videos. For Dvalishvili, who recently defended his bantamweight title with a display of relentless pressure and superb takedown defense, this artistic detour represents a chance to connect with a broader audience. As he prepares for his next UFC challenge, the champion's foray into music points to an expanding personal brand that transcends mixed martial arts. Whether the collaboration will spawn similar partnerships remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Merab Dvalishvili's star power is now lighting up arenas both inside the cage and on the dance floor. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Irish Sun
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
‘I can't believe that' – James Wade breaks etiquette in Luke Littler clash leaving darts fans fuming
JAMES WADE shocked fans by walking off the World Matchplay stage and choosing not to conduct a live post-final Sky Sports interview. The Machine was beaten 18-13 by sensational Blackpool . Advertisement 5 Luke Littler celebrated lifting the Phil Taylor Trophy on stage but Wade did not hang around for the live Sky Sports TV interview Credit: Sky Sports 5 James Wade lost a second successive major darts final to Luke Littler this year Credit: Getty 5 Littler earned £200,000 in prize money for the victory in Blackpool on Sunday night Credit: Getty It was the second time he had lost a major final to The Nuke, having been demolished 11-2 in the UK Open finale in March. The etiquette, but not protocol, is for the runners-up to receive their trophy on stage and then hang around to speak to the host broadcaster. In this case it would have been with the excellent reporter Polly James for Sky . Yet emotion clearly got the better of Wade who, once he received his silver plate off PDC chief executive Matt Porter, swiftly left the oche and went backstage. Advertisement READ MORE IN DARTS It surprised TV viewers who were treated to an interview with Littler but not with the 42-year-old Aldershot ace, a father of two. It means, quite unusually, there were not quotes from Wade about how he played or what perhaps he could have done differently. Littler's victory, aged 18, means he replaced Wade in the history books as the youngest winner of the World Matchplay, one of the most coveted events on the calendar. BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS Advertisement Most read in Darts There are no suggestions that Wade, the new world No.5, will be fined or reprimanded for his actions as there is no obligation to speak. Yet it is good form and good manners to speak to the fans and live TV audience. Or even hang around as Littler celebrated lifting the Phil Taylor Trophy in front of the Winter Gardens audience. This is exactly what Wade – a 11-time major winner – did when he lost in the UK Open showpiece occasion at Butlin's Minehead earlier this year. Advertisement Once this event, which was broadcast on ITV , was over, he spoke glowingly about the teenager that had just destroyed him on the oche. Wade said back on the night of Sunday March 2: 'I'm the senior dart player, but he absolutely smashed me to bits! 'What can you do against that? He was the far superior player. Fair play to Luke. At the moment, he is comfortably the best or second best dart player in the world.' You wonder if his decision to walk away early will impact his chances of being selected by the PDC for the Premier League Darts competition in 2026. Advertisement 5 Wade was surpassed as the youngest World Matchplay champion by 18-year-old Littler Credit: Getty 5 The Machine is one of the legends of the sport and is now up to No.5 in the world rankings Credit: Getty That is, of course, unless he breaks into the top next year's Prem. His absence from the stage as the ticker-tape fell on Littler's head surprised fans, Advertisement James O'Hara expressed his displeasure on social media by saying: 'I can't believe Wade left the stage before Littler even lifted the trophy!' Disappointed Tom Clayton wrote a sarcastic message on X, which said: 'Nice to see Wade stay on stage to watch Littler lift the trophy. Not! Piss poor that.' And darts fan Craig Milner commented: 'Walking off stage before Littler gets his trophy says it all about him. Bit of a p****. Well done the Nuke!' Littler – who has completed the Triple Crown set – posed for photos with his parents, management and new girlfriend Faith. Advertisement
Daily Record
27-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
James Wade feasts on out of date pizzas but World Matchplay finalist insists he's not past his sell by
The Machine has been magnificent in Blackpool and can now win a second Matchplay 18 years after his first triumph Time-defying James Wade fancies another slice of Matchplay history after dining on out-of-date pizzas. The Machine forged into a showdown with Luke Littler at the Winter Gardens with his epic semi-final success over Jonny Clayton. Wade is the youngest-ever winner of the tournament having triumphed in 2007 as a raw 24-year-old who had burst onto the scene. Fast forward to 2025 and he's back in the showpiece aiming to lift the trophy again and prevent The Nuke from tagging his youngest-ever tag. Wade might 'not care' about that statistic, but he does care deeply about his darts and has rolled back the years in Blackpool to maintain a superb season of form which is lifting him up the rankings again and banging him into the spotlight. The Londoner isn't being snubbed for TV promos now as he heads into the crunch clash with Littler, but he's also keeping it grounded. Celebrations after the Clayton match were restricted as he said: 'Going back to my room. I've got some pizzas that are four or five days out of date. Hopefully they smell all right when I open them out of the fridge. Everyone thinks I'm joking, but I'm being serious. 'I'm just going back to my room to relax and enjoy myself. Not be too critical of myself. but really, really happy to win. So, so, so lucky to win that game, but it might make up for some of the times where I've been so unlucky. There you go.' It was a titanic tussle that went 38 legs before Wade came through 20-18 and he said: 'To be fair, it's my own fault because I probably should have closed it off earlier. But you know, it is what it is. And there were so many moments where he would have turned me over if God was on his side and not my side. Just happy, don't want to harp on too much about who won and who lost, but I'm happy I won.' Wade reckons 'stupidity' and 'ignorance' were keys to a big 161 finish that set-up the success and added: 'Desperation, rankings. It's nothing more than that. You're stubborn, you want to win and let's be honest, 'Jonny probably should have won that game, but I should have won it way before. Just happy to win. I'm exhausted, genuinely. Not very often I walk in after a game of darts, you know, we all go like, I'm tired. I am genuinely, absolutely bamboozled after that. I'm f****d. I'm knackered, I'm old.' Wade's success ato bridge an 18-year-gap between first and latest would be an incredible storyline, but he's putting no extra store on it as, when asked what it mean to lift The Phil Taylor Trophy again, he said: 'No more different to what they all mean to me.'
