'Dancing with the Stars' winner says show is 'mental warfare'

"They're so different," Graziadei said. "'Bachelor' was not hard because it gave me my fiancée [Kelsey Anderson], and I'm so grateful for it. It's a different experience. You have to really put yourself out there.

"But this is mental warfare," he added of the nine-week competition. "I'm doing something I don't know how to do. And I have to make it look like I know how to do it every week."

WATCH: 'DANCING WITH THE STARS' WINNER JOEY GRAZIADEI COMPARES SHOW TO 'THE BACHELOR'

Graziadei credited his partner, Jenna Johnson, for leading him through the hardships. 

"That is on her for helping me through that, but, yeah, this is just so different than anything else I've done."

Johnson, who has been a professional dancer on the show since season 23 and won with professional figure skater Adam Rippon in season 26, shared why this particular accomplishment was so important.