EXCLUSIVE | Michael van Gerwen responds to leaked footage of brawl: 'It's being made more exciting than it was'

On Saturday evening, footage surfaced on gossip channels, appearing to show Michael van Gerwen involved in a physical altercation. Speaking exclusively to Dartsnews.com, 'Mighty Mike' stated that the incident is being blown out of proportion.

“After an enjoyable night out, we wanted to grab something to eat, and unfortunately I ended up in a situation you'd rather avoid,” Van Gerwen began, giving his side of the story.

The three-time world champion went on to explain what happened. “The man came at me from the kitchen, not the other way round, following a verbal exchange. People are making it sound more dramatic than it actually was, which is a shame.”

The footage also shows that the scuffle was quickly defused. “As you can see, people stepped in straight away and the situation was resolved. I even spoke with the man’s nephew afterwards, and we cleared the air before we left,” Van Gerwen added.

The Dutch ace had taken the weekend off, which is why he was not in action at the Swiss Darts Trophy. However, he is expected to compete in Leicester next week at three floor tournaments, where he will attempt to secure qualification for the Players Championship Finals. Van Gerwen is currently ranked 103rd on the Players Championship Order of Merit. In order to qualify for the major tournament in Minehead, he must finish the Pro Tour season within the top 64.