Luke Littler is ‘athlete of the yr’ says Ariel Helwani as UFC followers fume
Luke Littler is a late contender for 2023 Athlete of the Year, a minimum of based on MMA reporter Ariel Helwani.
The 16-year-old darts sensation stormed into the final 16 of the world championships with a snug 4-1 win over Matt Campbell at Ally Pally on Wednesday. He’ll have another match, presumably towards the legendary Raymond van Barneveld, earlier than bringing the curtain down on what has been an unimaginable 12 months for the teen.
Taking to X after Littler’s newest triumph, an impressed Helwani wrote: “Luke making a strong late push for 2023 athlete of the year. Sublime stuff from the teenager.” Darts followers agreed, however UFC fanatics had been left fuming.
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“You just lost your journalism credentials please turn them in at your earliest convenience,” one follower wrote, to which Helwani jokingly replied: “More of an MVG guy?”
Another mentioned: “A dart player for athlete of the year? Be for real.” A 3rd added: “Athlete of the year? I don’t know what’s worse that shout of the fact you jump between football teams,” whereas a fourth argued: “Athlete?? hahaha, you’re kidding surely. Sportsman maybe, there’s a massive difference.”
Are darts gamers ‘athletes’? Let us know what you assume within the feedback part beneath.
(Image: Getty Images)
Others argued that Littler hadn’t performed sufficient to say the athlete of the yr label as he hadn’t overwhelmed any actually prime gamers but. “Bit soon to say that Ariel. Let Luke prove himself against the best first. Wait and see how he copes with a bit of pressure.”
Another agreed, including: “That would be like Jon Jones getting MMA fighter of the year, he’s done well in one senior tournament that doesn’t warrant athlete of the entire year.”
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Helwani is broadly thought-about one of many world’s prime MMA journalists. He rose to prominence masking UFC within the States, although the Canadian-American dabbled in different sports activities too. Last yr he claimed he supported Nottingham Forest, and admitted to growing a love of darts whereas working within the UK.