In the electrifying world of darts, where precision meets passion under the glare of unforgiving spotlights, a bold challenge has been thrown down. Rob Cross, a former world champion known as “Voltage” for his electric presence, has issued a rallying cry to the sport’s elite: don’t let the meteoric rise of teenage sensation Luke Littler intimidate you. As the Premier League Darts barrels into its fifth week on March 6, 2025, at The Brighton Centre, Cross is urging his peers to step up, take the fight to the 18-year-old prodigy, and prove that even the brightest stars can be eclipsed on any given night.
Littler, affectionately dubbed “The Nuke” for his explosive scoring, has taken the darts world by storm. At just 17, he clinched the PDC World Championship title in January, becoming the youngest ever to hoist the coveted trophy at Alexandra Palace. His ascent has been nothing short of remarkable—a fairytale run that saw him dismantle seasoned veterans with a poise that belies his age. Now, as the defending champion, he’s a marquee name in the Premier League, a grueling 17-week gauntlet that pits the sport’s top talents against each other in a relentless test of skill and stamina. But Cross, who knows a thing or two about defying the odds after his own debut world title in 2018, insists that Littler is not invincible.
“We’re not talking about Gods here!” Cross declares with a mix of conviction and defiance. His message is clear: Littler may be a phenomenon, but he’s human, susceptible to the same pressures and pitfalls as anyone else who steps up to the oche. For Cross, it’s all about mindset. “Realistically, if you put it on people, depending on which stage, they don’t have the answer for it all the time,” he explains. It’s a strategy rooted in aggression and belief—apply relentless pressure, seize the moment, and even the most formidable opponent can falter.
Cross speaks from experience. Earlier this season, he found himself in a commanding 5-1 lead against Littler during a Premier League clash. Victory seemed within reach; he even had match darts in hand. But Littler, with the tenacity that has become his trademark, clawed his way back, turning the tables to snatch a dramatic win. “He did well to win, but I had match darts,” Cross recalls, a tinge of frustration in his voice. “I probably faded.” It’s a moment that haunts him, not because of the loss itself, but because it underscores his point: Littler can be rattled, pushed to the brink, and beaten—if you don’t let up.
That near-miss fuels Cross’s confidence as he prepares to face Littler again in Brighton. “I believe I can beat anyone when I’m on,” he asserts, his words brimming with the quiet swagger of a man who’s tasted the pinnacle of the sport. At 34, Cross is no stranger to the rollercoaster of professional darts. His own journey to the 2018 world title was a Cinderella story— a former electrician who swapped circuit boards for dartboards and stunned the legendary Phil Taylor in the final. Now, he sees parallels in Littler’s rise, but he’s determined to remind everyone that fairy tales don’t always have happy endings.
Littler’s dominance this year has been undeniable. His World Championship triumph was just the beginning; he followed it with a sensational run at the UK Open, further cementing his status as the sport’s golden boy. In the Premier League, he’s already notched victories over heavyweights like Luke Humphries, the current world number one. Night after night, he piles on the pressure, stringing together leg after leg of blistering darts. “At the moment, we see him put leg-on-leg pressure on all the time when he’s ahead,” Cross observes, acknowledging the teenager’s ability to suffocate opponents with consistency. Yet, he refuses to deify him. “I don’t think he’s God-like,” he insists. “On any given day, if you put it on them, everyone will crumble at certain times.”
The Brighton showdown promises to be a spectacle. Cross will join Littler, Humphries, Michael van Gerwen, Gerwyn Price, Peter Wright, Nathan Aspinall, and Michael Smith in a night of high-stakes battles. For Cross, it’s a homecoming of sorts— he hails from the south coast and expects a vocal contingent of friends and family in the stands. “Going back to Brighton, I’ll have a lot of friends there who will come and support me,” he says, a spark of anticipation in his tone. It’s an added layer of motivation as he aims to topple the young titan who’s captured the sport’s imagination.
Littler’s rise has shifted the darts landscape. Once dominated by the likes of Taylor and van Gerwen, the game now orbits around this fresh-faced prodigy and Humphries, who’ve traded blows atop the rankings. But Cross rejects the notion of a duopoly. “They can’t win everything between them,” he argues, pointing to the depth of talent in the PDC. “At the minute, they’re probably the most consistent two players on the planet, but we’ve all got a threshold.” It’s a reminder that darts, for all its precision, is a game of fine margins—where a single missed double or a momentary lapse can turn the tide.
The mental game, Cross believes, is where Littler can be undone. His own encounter with the teenager revealed cracks—moments where the pressure told, where the comeback wasn’t inevitable until Cross let it slip. “I was 5-1 up against him,” he reflects. “He’s not unbeatable.” It’s a lesson he hopes others will heed as the Premier League unfolds, a marathon that tests resilience as much as talent. With 12 nights remaining before the playoffs at The O2 in London on May 29, there’s ample opportunity for the field to strike back.
Beyond the rivalry, Cross harbors a grudging admiration for Littler. “I tip my hat to him,” he admits, recalling the teenager’s fearless debut at the World Championship. “He’s made darts rock ‘n’ roll over the past few months.” Littler’s charisma—his cheeky grin, his kebab-fueled rituals—has brought a new audience to the sport, elevating its profile. Yet, Cross sees a flip side: that spotlight makes Littler a target. “He will have a target on his back now, being world champion,” he notes. “That’s a big thing in the game.”
As the darts caravan rolls into Brighton, the stage is set for a clash of generations. Cross, the seasoned warrior, versus Littler, the fearless upstart. It’s more than a match—it’s a statement. “Don’t cross me,” Cross might as well be saying to his peers, urging them to shed their awe and fight. For him, it’s personal—a chance to reclaim his place among the elite and silence the doubters. For Littler, it’s another test in a career that’s already defied belief. One thing is certain: when the arrows fly on March 6, the darts world will be watching, waiting to see if Voltage can spark an upset—or if The Nuke will detonate once more.
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