Three years ago, Melissa Rycroft joined the eighth season cast of "Dancing With the Stars" as a last-minute replacement for the injured Nancy O'Dell.
A few critics cringed at her selection, noting she was only added to capitalize on her nationally televised breakup with "Bachelor" Jason Mesnick.
But the former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader proved she was more than a ratings ploy, garnering a pair of perfect scores en route to a third-place finish that season. So when Rycroft was invited to compete on "Dancing With the Stars: All-Stars," there was no doubt she'd be quite the competitor.
Rycroft won the "All-Stars" Mirrorball Trophy Tuesday night, holding off challenges from gymnast and season eight winner Shawn Johnson and actress and season one champ Kelly Monaco. It was an astonishing run for Rycroft, who clinched the victory thanks to six perfect scores in her final eight dances of competition, including two this week.
The victory was also bittersweet for Rycroft's pro partner, Tony Dovolani, who took home his first Mirrorball in his 14th attempt. The Kosovo-born dancer has been a fan favorite since his season two debut but, before this season, his best finish had been a pair of thirds.
Check out the video above to hear what Rycroft, Dovolani and the other finalists had to say about the competition, and let us know below what you think about the results!