Darts star Nathan Aspinall has confessed to an unusual pre-match scare at the PDC World Darts Championship, revealing that American opponent Leonard Gates left him so frightened he nearly soiled himself.
The Chewbacca Confrontation
The bizarre incident occurred backstage at London's Alexandra Palace before their second-round clash on December 22, 2025. Speaking to Sky Sports after a comfortable 3-0 victory, Aspinall described the moment Gates attempted to get inside his head.
'Have you heard what he did in the practice room?' Aspinall said. 'He turned up, tapped me on the back, and he had a Chewbacca mask on. Honest to God, I can't say it, but I pooed my pants. I was a bit scared.'
Gates' Psychological Warfare
The Englishman, known as 'The Asp', expanded on the chaos at a press conference. 'I walked in and some guy's tapped me on the shoulder, I turned around and I've got Chewbacca shouting at me. It was Leonard Gates with this mask on. It was quite terrifying, I'm not going to lie.'
Gates had openly warned of his plans after his first-round win over Mickey Mansell, promising to 'do something to disturb him and throw him off of his game.' Aspinall admitted the mind games continued even after the initial fright, with Gates practising for ten minutes while still wearing the mask.
'I think the maddest thing was that we bulled up, I won the bull,' Aspinall recalled. 'He was practicing in a different room and he's decided to stay on that dartboard for the next 10 minutes, practicing with the Chewbacca mask on. Which I felt was absolutely mental.'
Professional Respect and Looking Ahead
Despite the scare tactics, Aspinall secured a straightforward win with an average of 91.76, advancing to the last 32 where he will face Dutchman Kevin Doets. He was full of praise for Gates, calling him 'a great guy' and 'a character', but was slightly frustrated with his own performance.
'I've won two games, I've dropped one set in two matches and played pretty average,' Aspinall admitted. He now plans to enjoy Christmas with his family before returning to 'put a show on' for the Ally Pally crowd.
Reflecting on his next opponent, Aspinall noted: 'Kevin's a great player. I've not got a very good record against Kevin. I think he knows that because he's been talking to me in the hotel!'
