VIDEO: VanZant salsas to top score on 'Dancing with the Stars'

Unlike in her last UFC fight, Paige VanZant thrived with a change of dance partners.

Just hours before her week 2 performance on "Dancing with the Stars," VanZant received the news that partner Mark Ballas would not be able to perform due to a back injury suffered in Sunday's dress rehearsal.

It had to bring back memories for the 21-year-old strawweight who had to face Rose Namajunas last December at UFC Fight Night 80 when her original opponent Joanne Calderwood pulled out with an injury. That night ended with VanZant bloody and suffering the first loss of her UFC career.

This time, VanZant thrived as she and substitute dancer Alan Bersten wowed the audience and the judges with a scintillating salsa.

The fast-paced routine was filled with some death-defying lifts, and it was enough to earn a score of 24 from the judges, tied for first place on the week with "Boyz II Men" singer Wanya Morris.