In the high-stakes arena of the PDC World Darts Championship at London’s iconic Alexandra Palace, where legends are forged and tempers can flare under the spotlight, Joe Cullen delivered a performance that silenced doubters—only to ignite a firestorm with his post-match antics. The 35-year-old Englishman, known as “The Rockstar” for his charismatic flair and rock-solid throws, stormed through his second-round clash against Dutch prodigy Wessel Nijman with a commanding 3-0 whitewash. Yet, what should have been a triumphant moment turned into one of the tournament’s most talked-about controversies when Cullen abruptly walked out of his press conference, slamming the media for a perceived “lack of respect.” This bizarre episode, capped by a terse on-stage interview with Sky Sports, has left fans and pundits buzzing about the pressures bubbling beneath the surface of professional darts.
Cullen’s journey to this flashpoint was anything but smooth. Entering the championship ranked No. 24 in the world, he had endured a grueling 2024 season marked by inconsistency. His averages hovered around 90 on the circuit and dipped to 89 on the Pro Tour, a far cry from the form that saw him reach the fourth round in three of the past four years at Ally Pally. Heartbreaking defeats lingered in his memory: wiring double 16 in the 2022 Premier League final against Michael van Gerwen, missing out on a £275,000 payday and settling for £125,000; a gut-wrenching 4-3 loss to Van Gerwen in the 2022 Worlds after leading 3-1; and a sudden-death thriller against eventual champion Luke Humphries just 12 months prior. These near-misses had built a narrative of “unluckiest player” around Cullen, but his recent struggles amplified whispers of vulnerability.
Against Nijman, a 22-year-old rising star fresh off a two-and-a-half-year ban for match-fixing in 2020 (part of a five-year suspension, partially suspended after he admitted guilt), Cullen was shockingly cast as the underdog by bookmakers. Odds favored Nijman at 1/3 or 1/4, with some even pegging the Dutchman as the seventh favorite for the entire tournament. Cullen, fueled by this perceived slight, channeled his frustration into a masterful display. He posted a 98.18 three-dart average, nailed eight 180s, and boasted a 40.9% checkout rate—far superior to Nijman’s 28.6%. The match was a clinic in precision, with Cullen avoiding the pitfalls that had plagued his year. As the final dart hit home, he composed himself on stage, nearly exploding with emotion but holding back, perhaps saving his outburst for later.
The drama escalated immediately after. In his on-stage chat with Sky Sports presenter Abigail Davies, Cullen’s responses were clipped and confrontational. When asked if his darts had done the talking, he snapped back with a curt “I did.” Probing further about extra practice behind the scenes, he replied, “No, not really… I’ve been here all week. Threw my first darts yesterday for the best part of a week.” And when Davies suggested it might be his best big-stage performance in ages, he dismissed it with a flat “No.” The exchange, lasting mere seconds, set social media ablaze, with fans labeling it “awful behavior” and “fairly rude,” one quipping, “Who took the jam out of Joe Cullen’s doughnut?” Another lamented, “Think he might regret that interview. Will overshadow a great performance. Shame.”
But the real fireworks came in the press room. Cullen unloaded his grievances, pointing fingers at the media hype surrounding Nijman while defending the young player’s character. “I don’t know Wessel personally but I think the surrounding of the media led to his demise a little bit,” he said. “I’ve struggled this year on the oche and off the oche so to find a performance like that, to be honest I’ve got you guys to thank because I don’t think I would have played like that if I had read some of the nonsense that I read beforehand.” He continued, “The media attention that Wessel has got – again, this is not a reflection on him – he seems like a fantastic kid. He’s been caught up in a few things beforehand but he served his time, he held his hands up like a lot haven’t. But the way I’ve been treated with the media and things like that. I know you guys have no control of the bookies, but I’ve been shown no respect so I won’t show any respect to any of you guys tonight. I’m going to go home. Cheers.” With that, he marched out, leaving journalists stunned.
Pundits weighed in swiftly, offering a mix of sympathy and critique. Sky Sports’ Dan Dawson acknowledged Cullen’s brilliance but called the reaction “a little bit silly, but it was also quite funny.” He explained the underdog tag: “He’s evidently got the hump because he was made the underdog against Nijman, who is a very new up and coming player. The reason that he was made the underdog is because Cullen has had his worst year in ages and Nijman has been doing really exciting things. Ultimately, if Joe Cullen played like this afternoon all year then he wouldn’t have been the underdog for a start, because he was magnificent.” Laura Turner added perspective: “When we’re sat in these chairs, we just look at the statistics, look at all the information that we can possibly find and compile it. Ultimately we try to predict and it’s not anything about the player – we do the best we can with the information we’ve got. Statistically, everything was pointing in the way of Nijman.”
In the aftermath, Cullen sought to clarify his intentions, particularly regarding Davies. Posting on social media, he wrote: “Last thing I’ll say just to clarify this…myself and Abi get on brilliant. I briefed Abi before the interview started that I wouldn’t be giving her much… and she replied ‘no problem sugar ****!’ [In Nessa from Gavin and Stacey’s voice]. Just to draw a line under that. Enjoy Xmas guys.” Months later, reflecting on the episode, Cullen admitted it was premeditated. “If I’m going to be honest, it was preemptive, I knew what I was going to do before I went into the interview,” he revealed. He described the pre-tournament treatment as “hideous, for want of a better word,” confessing he had “a bee in my bonnet” and was adamant he wouldn’t lose to the less experienced Nijman. Davies, for her part, harbored no ill will, noting they share a good rapport and finding the brevity “a little bit funny,” though she wished he’d used the platform to confront his critics head-on.
This incident underscores the intense mental toll of darts, a sport where psychological edges can make or break champions. Cullen, a former major winner who’s flirted with Premier League glory, now advances to face Gerwyn Price, the 2021 world champion who eased past Keane Barry 3-0. “Can’t wait,” Cullen enthused about the matchup. As the tournament resumes post-Christmas— with third and fourth rounds spanning December 27-30, quarter-finals on New Year’s Day, semis on January 2, and the final on January 3—Cullen’s fire could propel him deeper. Or, in the pressure cooker of Ally Pally, it might just consume him. For now, his rockstar rebellion has added an unforgettable layer to the championship’s narrative, reminding everyone that in darts, the drama off the oche can rival the action on it.
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