Two Competitors Eliminated From 'Dancing With the Stars' Athletes Season

The first night of Dancing With the Stars' athletes ended with not one, but two couples being sent home.

After the fan votes and judges' scores were tallied, Johnny Damon and Jamie Anderson were eliminated from the competition. Damon was partnered with Emma Slater, and Anderson was partnered with Artem Chigvintsev.

The couples were judged based off Monday night's dances. Votes and judges' scores were tallied throughout the evening with these two couples going home at the end of the night.

Damon and Anderson were the first stars to be sent home from the competition this season.

They won't be alone in the eliminated category for long. This abbreviated season is only four weeks long, with eliminations occurring each week.

The remaining celebrities are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jennie Finch, Tonya Harding, Chris Mazdzer, Mirai Nagasu, Josh Norman, Arike Ogunbowale, Gleb Savchenko, Adam Rippon.

Fans were not too pleased with the results.

The main reason cited was the fact that the couples should have gotten a second chance, like in typical DWTS seasons. Some think the brief structure and multiple eliminations just are not fair.

This format is so dumb. They should have just skipped a spring season. 2 hours into the season, 2 couples gone... don't get it #DWTS

— Annie Minoff (@HermAnnieGrangr) May 1, 2018

This is the f-ing worst. Why is @DancingABC doing this with 4 week season. None of those couples should have even been in jeopardy. #DWTS @artemchigvintse @EmmaSlaterDance @JohnnyDamon @JamieAsnow

— Brenda (@brenders_e) May 1, 2018

To have couples eliminated the night of the premier AND ONLY during East Coast Time is the worst move in the history of #DWTS It would be better to not have a show at all! This 'season' of athletes will always have an asterisk* next to it ...

— Steve Adriance (@pasacama) May 1, 2018

However, the other main targets for anger came in the form of Harding and Abdul-Jabaar.

Many did not think Harding, who was in the bottom three, should have been competing because of her controversial past. Others criticized Abdul-Jabaar's performance due to his limited movements on the dancefloor.

WTF...Johnny Damon is out and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is not?!? #DWTS #DWTSAthletes

— Shell 🐚💎 (@TheDiamondDiva) May 1, 2018

How could they send @JohnnyDamon home?? Where were the NY fans!!? Man really wanted to watch him instead of Tonya....#DWTS

— Karen Wiltshire (@KW4JC) May 1, 2018

Kareem stayed smh but johnny damon left howwwwww? #DWTS

— shayla. 🌹 (@LuvxGalorex) May 1, 2018

Dancing With the Stars airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET.

Photo Credit: ABC