Overview

• Irwin and pro partner Witney Carson delivered a high-energy jive to Steppenwolf’s “Born to Be Wild” on the Season 34 premiere.
• They scored 15/20 to tie Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas for the night’s best, with the scale reduced after Carrie Ann Inaba missed the show due to illness.
• Derek Hough called it “probably the best first dance I have ever seen,” and Bruno Tonioli praised the routine’s precision and showmanship.
• The performance opened with Irwin in Steve Irwin–style khaki atop a Land Rover before a costume reveal, as sister Bindi and mother Terri watched from the audience.
• Fans on social media quickly labeled Irwin a frontrunner, and he posted that it was the “Best night ever,” with the competition returning Sept. 23 for a double elimination on ABC and Disney+ and next-day streaming on Hulu.