Dancing with the Stars cut Michael Sam and his professional dance partner Peta Murgatroyd during Monday night's broadcast of the twentieth season on ABC.

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Peta and the former NFL player became the third couple eliminated from the competition based on the combination of the Dancing with the Stars judges' scores they had received during last week's performance show and the home viewer votes that were cast immediately following that episode.

"It was an awesome experience," Michael said following his ouster. "Please give my partner Peta [a round of applause]. She was amazing. I had a great time. I had an awesome experience. I want to thank Dancing with the Stars and everyone who came out and showed their support."

Michael and Peta had finished in ninth place last week, finishing one point above the two pairs who had tied for tenth place at the bottom of the leaderboard.

This week, Michael and Peta tied for seventh place with another couple after they received 30 out of 40 points from DWTS judges Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Julianne Hough. For the "Most Memorable Year" theme, Michael danced a rumba to represent 2014 when he came out gay and therefore lost the relationship he had just recently developed with his estranged father.

R5 frontman -- and second cousin of Julianne and Derek Hough -- Riker Lynch and partner Allison Holker were the other couple still in danger of elimination prior to Michael and Peta's ouster, but they were "not necessarily" one of the bottom-two couples based on the judges' scores and America's votes from last week.

The leaderboard had a new topper on Monday night after The Hunger Games star Willow Shields and partner Mark Ballas performed a contemporary routine that received a near-perfect score of 39 points from the judges. Willow's performance represented the year 2011 when she got cast on The Hunger Games as Primrose Everdeen.

Second place on the judging leaderboard went to Olympian Nastia Liukin and partner Derek. The pair recreated the night Nastia won an Olympic gold medal in 2008 with an Argentine tango that earned 36 points from the judges.

Actress Rumer Willis and partner Val Chmerkovskiy finished in third place on the leaderboard with 35 points. They danced a waltz to portray the year 2014 when Rumer stopped listening to bullies and went through a lot of changes which ultimately made her stronger.

Fourth place was a tie between two couples with 34 points: Riker and Allison as well as Shark Tank star Robert Herjavec and partner Kym Johnson.

Riker and Allison performed a tango in memory of the year 2014 when Riker's band took off and he grew to fame. Robert and Kym danced an emotional waltz in remembrance of his mother who died of cancer in 2006. She was the only person who really believed in Robert.

Sixth place on the judges' leaderboard belonged to U.S. Army veteran Noah Galloway and partner Sharna Burgess. The couple danced a contemporary routine inspired by Noah's acceptance of his injury. Noah recalled the struggle he faced during the war in 2005 when he lost his left arm above the elbow and his left leg above the knee as a result of a roadside bomb.

The couple who tied with Michael and Peta for seventh place on the leaderboard was iconic singer Patti LaBelle and partner Artem Chigvintsev. Like Michael and Peta, Patti and Artem also received 30 points for their routine. Patti and Artem performed jazz in honor of the year 1973 when her son was born and she remained a working woman.

Actress and author Suzanne Somers and partner Tony Dovolani claimed ninth place with 28 points. The couple danced a foxtrot to remember the year 1977 when Suzanne was ready to quit acting and decided to go on one last audition for the starring role on Three's Company, which she ultimately nailed.

The Bachelor star Chris Soules and partner Witney Carson finished in tenth -- and last -- place on the judges' leaderboard after taking the stage with a 27-point worthy rumba routine. Chris and Witney's dance represented the year 2014 when Chris starred as the Bachelor and proposed to his now-fiancee Whitney Bischoff, the self-described love of his life.

Next Monday night, another couple will be eliminated based on the judges' scores and home-viewer votes from last night's show.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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