"Been left battered and bruised and quite literally bloodied": Michael Smith bizarrely makes himself bleed during Humphries loss
PDCSaturday, 15 November 2025 at 16:28
Michael Smith lost 16-8 to Luke Humphries Friday night in the quarterfinals of the Grand Slam of Darts, but it wasn't just the result that stood out. Halfway through the match, Smith became visibly frustrated and showed it to himself in painful fashion.
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Smith finally showed signs of his old form again in Wolverhampton, initially competed well with the world number one. In the opening stages, he delivered spectacle with high scores, but as Cool Hand Luke took over the initiative, Smith's tension mounted.
During one of the later legs, the 35-year-old began scratching his forehead with the tip of his darts. TV footage showed him inflicting small cuts on himself, after which blood even became visible.
Former pro and commentator Wayne Mardle reacted surprised, but not entirely surprised. "He's been doing that for years, I don't know why he does it," said Mardle. As Humphries marched toward victory, the red streaks on Smith's forehead became more and more obvious.
Commentator Dan Dawson aptly described the image: “He's been left battered and bruised and quite literally bloodied by Cool Hand. “Michael Smith when he is frustrated, when he is worried, when he is trying to figure things out on the dartboard, he will take the point of his dart and he scratches his forehead. He has done that so much he has drawn blood."
Humphries didn't see it until after
Afterwards, Luke Humphries was also asked about the incident. The reigning world champion admitted that he did not notice what happened until the handshake. "I didn't see it until the last moment when I shook his hand.
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"I said to him: 'What have you done to your head?' He had a couple of cuts on his head. It's probably something, frustration I don't know, but fair play to him, he played a really good game."
Despite the remarkable scene, Humphries kept his cool and easily qualified for the semifinals. The Englishman will meet Gerwyn Price, who eliminated Ricky Evans earlier in the evening.
Samuel GillChief Content Officer
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
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