Wild moment darts champion Michael van Gerwen is caught in a KEBAB SHOP brawl as legend is seen in the middle of scuffle with fellow punters

Michael van Gerwen became embroiled in an ugly brawl inside a kebab shop on Saturday evening after a 'verbal exchange' during his weekend off. 

A video circulating on social media of the incident shows the three-time darts world champion, 36, at the centre of a five-man scuffle near the shop's counter. 

As one of the fighters begins to throw punches, Van Gerwen is seen grappling with a man wearing a cap before pulling himself away. 

The sportsman has however been quick to respond to the shocking footage, claiming the incident was not as 'dramatic' as it appears.

He told Darts News: 'After an enjoyable night out, we wanted to grab something to eat, and unfortunately I ended up in a situation you'd rather avoid.

'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.

'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.'

The scuffle occurred on a rare weekend off for the Dutchman after he pulled out of the Swiss Darts Trophy. It remains unclear exactly where Van Gerwen had been on a night out before the fight. 

The incident does indeed come during a particularly difficult year for the 36-year-old, who confirmed the end of his marriage in May. 

He and his partner Daphne had been together for some 10 years and had two children together - Mike and Zoe - when they called time on their relationship. 

Van Gerwen took some time away from darts to deal with the heartache earlier this summer.  

He said at the time: 'It is with great sadness that I inform you that Daphne and I have decided to end our relationship. As a result, I have withdrawn from the upcoming tournaments.

'I am sorry to disappoint my fans, but I trust that they will understand my decision. We are facing a difficult time and ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time.'

Only earlier this month Van Gerwen revealed how he's coping with the split, admitting he's only 'human'. 

'At some point, you want to think about nice things again, not just be preoccupied with the mess you're experiencing at that moment,' he told Dutch outlet AD. 

'I couldn't write this script myself, so I'll have to deal with it in a way I think is right. You could just sit around and grieve all day, but that's pointless. So you do fun things, take time for yourself.'

Van Gerwen is expected to be back in action next week in Leicester, where he'll complete to secure qualification for the Players Championship Finals.