Michael van Gerwen ‘Flung Rival Over Table’ in Brutal Backstage Bust-Up

Kim Huybrechts has revealed that three-time World Champion Michael Van Gerwen once threw a rival over a table during a backstage altercation before going on stage.

Van Gerwen isn’t exactly known for keeping his cool, with his infamous bust-ups with Peter Wright during the Premier League in 2014 and 2015, when the Dutchman called Wright “out of order”, springing to mind, and Huybrechts has recently revealed the time which he threw Rowby-John Rodriguez over a table when practicing together before a match.

Michael van Gerwen’s highest television averages (as of 16/05/25)
Number	Average	Date	Opponent	Tournament
1.	123.40	25/02/2016	Michael Smith	Premier League
2.	121.86	31/10/2012	Steve Beaton	Championship League
3.	118.52	25/11/2023	Ross Smith	Players Championship Finals
4.	118.21	23/08/2014	Paul Nicholson	Perth Darts Masters
5.	117.95	07/04/2016	Robert Thornton	Premier League

Speaking on the Darts Draait Door podcast, Huybrechts recalled the event, saying: “It all started when Michael and I were practicing together with the Austrian player Rowby-John Rodriguez before a tournament.

“Rowby was winding Michael up by throwing very slowly. Michael was due to play his match soon, so he asked him to speed up. But instead, Rowby provoked him even more by throwing even slower and chatting to me in between.”

Huybrechts said that Van Gerwen could have deescalated the situation, but the Dutchman wasn’t going to do that, continuing: “Michael probably should’ve just gone to another board to continue his warm-up, but that was never going to happen.

“He’s a stubborn guy. It escalated into a confrontation, and they ended up nose to nose. Michael used a bit too much brute force and flung Rowby straight over the table.”

The incident was in view of a number of other darts players, including Vincent van der Voort. According to Huybrechts, the only thing that Van Der Voort was concerned about, however, was his drink that had been knocked over in the aftermath of the brawl.

“The first thing Vincent said was to ask who was going to pay for his drink. Officials stepped in, and Vincent even tapped one on the shoulder to ask how they were going to sort out his drink.

“Rowby-John was lying somewhere in the middle of it all and everyone had to hold Michael back. I was standing there, stunned.”

Luke Humphries on Michael van Gerwen’s Ego

According to Humphries, MvG has the biggest ego on the circuit

This isn’t the first time MvG has had a backstage incident, with Luke Humphries revealing on the Happy Hour podcast that Van Gerwen has the biggest ego in darts, and that he was punched in the face by Vincent van der Voort before the two eventually became friends.

Humphries said: “Like eight years ago, I think Michael was getting a bit – his ego was getting a bit high – and Vincent just whacked him. Because I think he showed Vincent disrespect – and Vincent doesn’t like that. He’s one of the coolest people you’ll ever meet, honestly. He’s so straight-talking and so funny.

“We get on really well. He’s a really good character. But, yeah, Michael has definitely got the biggest ego. Vincent had to give him a punch just to calm him down.”