The Dancing With the Stars ballroom ignited more than just the dance floor on November 11, 2025, during the show’s star-studded 20th Anniversary Birthday Bash episode: it sparked full-blown romance rumors between returning champion Xochitl Gomez and rising heartthrob Robert Irwin. The 19-year-old Marvel star (known for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) teamed up with the 21-year-old Australian wildlife conservationist — son of the late Steve Irwin — for a high-energy Jive relay that had judge Derek Hough declaring their “chemistry” “undeniable,” and fans screaming for a kiss. As Season 34 heats up with semifinals looming, social media is ablaze with #RobXoch shippers, turning a one-off pairing into the season’s hottest off-screen storyline.

The electric moment unfolded in the relay round, where six former Mirrorball winners mentored the seven remaining contestants (with Whitney Leavitt immune after topping the leaderboard). Irwin, dancing with pro Witney Carson, drew a surprise partner in Gomez — the bubbly Season 32 champ who clinched her win at just 17. Their Jive to Olly Murs’ “Dance With Me Tonight” pitted them against Alix Earle and Season 33 winner Joey Graziadei, and the duo crushed it, securing Irwin two bonus points and catapulting him to the top of the night’s scores. Hough, mid-commentary, couldn’t hold back: “Robert and Xochitl, the chemistry? Excuse me? It was so wonderful!” — a line that’s now meme gold on TikTok and X.

Fans lost it in real time. X exploded with posts like “Me screaming ‘KISS’ after Robert and Xochitl won the relay” and “If I can’t have Robert Irwin, the only acceptable person who can is Xochitl!” One viral clip of their playful lifts and synchronized spins racked up 5 million views overnight, with commenters gushing: “ROBERT AND XOCHITL WERE SO F**KING CUTE — even Derek called out their chemistry like PERIOD.” Another fan tweeted: “I KNOW CHEMISTRY WHEN I SEE IT!!!” The pairing’s charm? Both young, charismatic, and effortlessly fun — Irwin’s Aussie charm meshing with Gomez’s Hollywood sparkle. Pre-episode hype videos showed them cracking up in rehearsals, with Irwin joking about his “Twinkle Toes” nickname and Gomez hyping his moves: “Robert’s got that natural rhythm — watch out!”

The ship gained steam amid Irwin’s emotional main routine: a perfect-scoring Foxtrot tribute to his late father Steve Irwin, inspired by sister Bindi’s Season 21 dedication. (A pre-show mix-up had fans thinking Bindi would join the relay, but DWTS clarified it was Gomez.) Post-dance, Irwin gushed about rehearsals: “We just had too much fun — Witney had her work cut out for her!” Gomez, beaming, added: “Dancing with Robert felt like old times… but with extra Aussie energy.” Their after-party photos — arms linked, laughing over mocktails — only fueled the fire, especially after Irwin’s earlier season flirtations with troupe member Hailey Bills fizzled without confirmation.

At 21, Irwin’s DWTS debut has been a whirlwind: the Crocodile Hunter’s son traded khakis for sequins, earning raves for his growth from “stiff croc-wrestler” to fluid showman. Gomez, 19, returned as a fan-favorite alum, her win still fresh from 2023. Their age gap? Non-issue for shippers, who see a power duo: wildlife advocate meets multiverse maven. “They’re both so wholesome yet fierce — imagine the collabs!” one Reddit thread buzzes, with fan edits blending Irwin’s zoo cams and Gomez’s Spider-Man clips set to their Jive track.

Neither has addressed the rumors — Irwin’s rep calls it “all in good fun,” while Gomez’s team laughs it off as “relay magic.” But with semifinals on November 18, expect more cross-chats; the relay winners often reunite for group numbers. DWTS alums like Joey Graziadei (who lost the relay but gained a bromance with Irwin) tease: “If they don’t date, Hollywood’s missing out.” As votes pour in for Irwin’s frontrunner status, one thing’s clear: in a season of dedications and drama, RobXoch is the unexpected encore stealing hearts. Will it lead to off-stage dates, or stay a ballroom fantasy? Tune in Tuesdays on ABC or Disney+ — the chemistry’s just getting started.