The season 34 finale of “Dancing with the Stars” brought an electric mix of anticipation, emotion, and fierce competition. After weeks of rehearsals, setbacks, and standout performances, the final night featured three intense rounds that pushed every remaining contestant to their limit as they battled for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.
On Tuesday, November 25, viewers tuned in for the grand finale. By the end of the live broadcast, a new champion had been crowned — and the reactions online exploded almost instantly. Some fans celebrated the result, while others insisted the outcome was anything but fair.
This season’s finalists — Alix Earle, Dylan Efron, Elaine Hendrix, Robert Irwin, and Jordan Chiles — danced through a trio of demanding rounds: Judges’ Choice, Instant Dance, and Freestyle. Each pair brought different strengths to the ballroom, creating one of the tightest finales in the show’s history.
Robert Irwin, partnered with Witney Carson, ultimately claimed the Mirrorball Trophy. The win mirrored his sister Bindi’s triumph a decade earlier, adding a touching layer of family legacy to the moment. Irwin and Carson delivered spirited, polished routines throughout the night, including a Quickstep to Jet’s “Are You Gonna Be My Girl,” a vibrant Cha Cha during the Instant Dance round, and a high-energy Freestyle set to Sam Sparro’s “Black & Gold” and Avicii’s “The Nights.”
Competition was fierce. Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy, Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa, Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten, and Dylan Efron with Daniella Karagach all delivered strong performances of their own. When Alfonso Ribeiro read the final standings, Hendrix and Bersten placed fifth, followed by Efron and Karagach in fourth. Chiles and Sosa secured third place, leaving Earle and Chmerkovskiy alongside Irwin and Carson as the last two standing.
Both finalist couples earned record-breaking viewer votes, and Julianne Hough noted that the difference between them was “one of the tightest” in the show’s history. Ultimately, Irwin and Carson came out on top.
But the reaction from fans was far from unanimous. Social media lit up with frustration from those who believed their favorites deserved better. One viewer wrote, “I witnessed a robbery and I am reporting it,” while another echoed the sentiment, insisting that Jordan Chiles had the strongest Freestyle of the night. Others argued Alix Earle should have taken the title instead
Still, plenty of fans defended Irwin’s win. Supporters noted that he began the season with zero dance background and improved at a remarkable pace, praising him for working hard, embracing the challenge, and consistently performing from the heart. One fan wrote, “America got it right. Robert came from zero dance experience and was crowned the winner rightfully so.”
Behind the scenes, the journey had not been easy for Irwin or Carson. Eleven weeks of intense choreography left both dancers physically exhausted, and Carson revealed that Irwin had been pushing through rib pain leading up to the finale. Still, they kept going, determined to finish strong. After the win, Carson became emotional, expressing her gratitude for their partnership, while Irwin credited her for helping him grow. “My sister said it best: Thank you for changing my life,” he shared.
For Irwin, the experience carried deep personal meaning. Throughout the season, he found quiet ways to honor his late father, Steve Irwin. He often rehearsed in one of his dad’s shirts, worn and frayed but filled with memories. He described it as feeling “like a big hug,” something that kept him grounded and connected to home during the grueling competition.
