Robert Irwin’s Dance Scores Just Broke the Internet

Robert Irwin’s Week 3 Salsa on Dancing With the Stars has triggered a viral storm on the internet. Gossips carry on, fans’ comments are igniting the fire further, and raising questions about the judge’s scores. He got 22 points out of 30 in a shirtless performance, removing his shirt in the middle of the routine while dancing with his upper body. 

It’s the most talked-about point of the season; however, the fans are angry with the scores given for this fabulous performance. They are concerned about the scoring process’s fairness and the power of viral choreography. 

A Shirtless Salsa That Shook the Ballroom

On September 30, 2025, on a TikTok-themed night, Rober Irwin and pro partner Witney Carson performed a salsa. The salsa routine was performed on the famous song of Tommy Richman’s “Million Dollar Baby”.

The most critical moments of this routine include dramatic lifts, shirt-ripping moments and a slide across the floor. The routine surprised the audience and drew audible gasps from the live audience. 

Judge Carrie Ann Inaba appeared stunned, saying, “I can’t believe Robert is all grown up. That was a great performance.”  Derek Hough, however, offered a more critical take, saying, “Strong, assertive, a great partner, but rigid and stiff in execution.” 

Bruno Tonioli echoed the sentiment, calling it “wonderful” but lacking fluidity.

Although the crowd reaction was surprising yet expected as per the Irwins’ performance, they placed the star couple behind Jordan Chiles/Ezra Sosa and Whitney Leavitt/Mark Ballas. Both star couples scored 24 out of 30 as compared to Irwin’s 22.

Fan Uproared, “He Was Robbed”

The results triggered an outrage wave from the fans across social media. They are calling it pure injustice and raising concerns and questions. When DWTS officially posted Irwin featuring posts on their social media accounts, they got comments like: 

• “I’m sorry, judges, but that side-by-side was PHENOMENAL!!!! The slide! Did you see the SLIDE!!!”
• “No pun intended, but he was ROBBED. Should have been 9s!!!!!”
• “Best dance by far. Judging is obviously rigged.”
• “This dance was definitely not for the judges, and I KNOW Witney knew that. That was for us! #thankyouwitney”

The Charisma Factor: Hemsworth Comparisons and Viral Heat

Irwin’s shirtless moment drew comparisons to Australian actor Chris Hemsworth. Tonioli joked, “You’re giving Hemsworth a run for his money.” 

It’s not only his shirtless salsa, but it also reminded people of his earlier modelling in Australian brand Bond’s underwear campaign. When the campaign photos appeared on social media, they went viral.

The campaign shots got immense love and beautiful comments from the fans all around the world. Just like Bond’s campaign, now people are again talking about his charm, grace, and beautiful looks.

However, his charisma is not the only factor that can make him win or lose something. Although the fans were focused on his looks and appeal, the judges were more focused on his performance’s technical flaws. 

What the Scores Don’t Show

This salsa is not as simple as fans are considering. Choreographically, it was too technical for an ordinary person to understand. There was not only stiffness to be noticed in making a decision.

Everything from multiple lifts to side-by-side footwork was watched closely by the judges. Later, after the show, Cheryl Burke, who is a dance analyst of a former DWTS pro, commented in a post stating that “That salsa had more content than some of the higher-scoring routines. The judges are looking at technique, but the audience is responding to storytelling.”

A Turning Point for DWTS?

Irwin’s week 3 performance will be more than just a performance for DWTS. It will mark a shift in how they balance between technical scoring while keeping an eye on audience sentiments. The clips are viral on social media, especially TikTok, and fans are openly criticising. This is a challenging situation for the judges’ authority to evolve their scoring model. As a fan put it, “This wasn’t just a dance. It was a moment. And the judges missed it.” Irwin won or lost, but salsa won.