‘SYTYCD’: Former Contestant Returns From Injury to Give Emotional Performance

So You Think You Can Dance kicked off Season 16 Monday night with a powerful and emotional performance from Matthew Deloch, a contestant from two years ago who came back after battling an injury.

The 20-year-old Gonzales, Louisiana native told the judges he auditioned for Season 14, but did not come back for Season 15. He tore his meniscus, which kept him off the dance floor for six months.

“You just came right back to here?” new judge Dominic “D-Trix” Sandoval asked.

“Yes,” Deloch replied.

Deloch went on to give a perfect contemporary dance that had the audience on their feet and the judges shocked.

“Your technique is superb,” judge Nigel Lythgoe said, before calling him “sensational.”

“Matthew, you have just set that stage on fire!” Mary Murphy said. “This is what Season 16 looks like!”

“We just witnessed something insane,” new judge Laurieann Gibson said after Deloch left the stage.

“He was terrific. He was amazing,” Lythgoe added.

All four judges gave Deloch a ticket to the next round.

Fans at home were also super impressed with Deloch’s performance.

“Just goes to show how important it is to not give up and come back stronger the next time around. I applaud you Matthew,” SYTYCD veteran Paul Karmiryan wrote.

“Wow Matthew’s the first time I’ve actually remembered someone from a previous season. That’s how I know he’s good,” one fan tweeted.

In an interview with The Weekly Citizen, Delock said he hurt his knee while rehearsing for a show last year.

“Durning one of the runs, my knee just gave out. I tore my meniscus in my right knee,” he said. “After my knee surgery I had to do rehab and lots and lots of work to get back to my full ability.”

Deloch will be spending most of his summer in Louisiana and will be teaching at three different studios in Gonzales.

New episodes of So You Think You Can Dance air Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on FOX.

Photo credit: Fox