Chris Dobey has come on leaps and bounds over recent years. Now a major title winner after his success at the Masters in 2023, Dobey reached the semi-finals at the PDC World Darts Championship for the first time earlier this year and is currently involved in his second Premier League Darts campaign. Throughout his rise though, there's one man he just can't seem to beat.
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As it turns out, Dobey's nightmare opponent in question is Damon Heta. Indeed, the Englishman, known to fans as "Hollywood," has an 0-8 losing record against the Australian number one with "The Heat" clearly having the mental advantage in their battles.
World No. 7 Heta has emerged as one of the most consistent players on the Pro Tour in recent years. He has won at least two Players Championship titles every year since 2022. In addition, he reached the semifinals of the UK Open in 2024, his first major semifinal. This year, however, he had to say goodbye to that same tournament in the sixth round after a narrow 10-9 defeat against Gian van Veen, despite an outstanding finishing percentage of 90% and an average of 98.85.
In PDC referee Huw Ware's podcast Tops and Tales, Dobey admitted that he does not like playing against Heta because of his disastrous head to head record. "My least favourite is [Damon] Heta because I’ve never beaten him!" Dobey admits. "I’ve gave him so many good games."
Heta's strength lies mainly in his finishing prowess. Over the past year, the Australian has the highest checkout percentage on the PDC Tour with an impressive 44.24%. "You know it’s in your head. Especially after when he comes over to you and says, ‘oh, you still haven’t beat me’," says Dobey. “I would say Damon Heta is the one because of the record.”
In addition to his least favorite opponent, Dobey also revealed who he most enjoys playing against: Jonny Clayton. The Welshman, known as "The Ferret," has had a rock-solid 2025 with a final spot at the Winmau World Masters and a semifinal at the UK Open.
“Anyone with a good pace. I like playing Johnny Clayton because it’s a good pace," Dobey explains. “Of course, me and Johnny have had some great games on the floor and on the stage. But he’s probably got a better record against me.”
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CHRIS DOBEY: “NEVER FORGET YOUR ROOTS”
— TopsAndTales (@TopsAndTales180) March 3, 2025
Episode Four is live! @Dobey180 talks darts in the North East of England, trying to get his father Gordon to Q School, his run to the semi-finals of the World Championships, his love for @NUFC and so much more! 👇https://t.co/Vl63E68QDE pic.twitter.com/0rM0e04R6V
Kieran WoodDarts Journalist
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He contributes to DartsNews.com, where he covers professional darts through news, match reports, analysis, and live coverage across the PDC calendar and major tournaments.
A key part of his work is on-site reporting from leading events. Kieran has covered the PDC World Darts Championship in person, reporting daily from the venue and providing first-hand insight from the tournament. During his coverage, he has conducted interviews with leading players including Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, and Gerwyn Price.
He is also one of the leading voices of the English-language Dartsnews Podcast, contributing regular analysis and discussion on developments across the professional darts circuit.
In his reporting, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles when new, verified information becomes available.
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