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Who Should Win 'Ink Master: Rivals'?

Kathy Zerbib |
November 18, 2014 | 11:29 a.m. PST

Senior Entertainment Editor

If only, if only... (Twitter/@Deth_Kult)
If only, if only... (Twitter/@Deth_Kult)
During last week's shocking episode 11, Joshua Hibbard was kicked off "Ink Master: Rivals" over allegations that he broke the competition's rules by smoking and possessing marijuana to calm his anxiety. For the second time, he was robbed of the win.

Josh was the favorite to claim the title of Ink Master in its fifth season and this revelation stunned viewers. The Twittersphere voted #KeepJosh over #BootJosh when polled during the show. The judges said they could not save him, though he consistently received positive critiques from all three tattoo experts. When the show aired, the cast and judges even tweeted support for the scorned contestant.

However, "Ink Master" producers took the chance to make an example out of him and sent Josh packing. No one could take him out, Josh took himself out by violating the series' contract.

READ MORE: Where To Get A Tattoo In LA

Ironically, Josh had the best tattoo of the day and thus reinforced his superiority over the other competitors one last time. With his unfortunate dismissal, the show will now have to scrap up another winner who can only barely match Josh's greatness. 

Considering the talent gap between the elite and the underdogs of season five, there's not much to speculate as to who the new front runner will be in the finale.

Cleen Rock One
It was obvious from the start that Josh and Cleen were the obvious choices for the finale. At 20 years of experience, Cleen knows his trade very well. Josh had half his experience, but was considered on Cleen's level. Lately, we've seen some shakiness in Cleen's work and his tattoos are not receiving the utmost praise from the judges as they once were. Still, Cleen is the most talented tattoo artist left on the show and a win out of him would not be a controversial outcome.

Erik Siuda
Because someone has to join Cleen in the finale, right? …Kidding. Erik, now the only artist left with a rival (Don Peddicord), has also been faring well in the competition. His 18 years of experience has put him ahead as a upper-middle ranked contestant. His work is usually outshined by Josh and Cleen's, but times have changed (Ahem, for the worst). He and Josh guessed in last week's episode 11 that the final three would be them and Cleen. Well, he and Cleen are still in it to win it and the finale will ultimately tell which of the two men can finish stronger.

Don Peddicord or Aaron "Is" Michalowski
This is not a show for the underdogs - as exemplified by the other seasons' winners who were ahead of the pack in almost every challenge - but Josh's dismissal may be a signal of change. If Cleen and Erik were to seriously sabotage themselves, Don or Aaron could step up and claim the prize. Perhaps one of them will join Cleen and Erik in the finale. Considering how haphazard their tattoos are (especially compared to Josh's), a win out of either of them would further shame the show's credibility.

READ MORE: Tattoo Culture In Los Angeles Perseveres Through Rough Economy

There are only two episodes left in "Ink Master: Rivals," who are your picks for the final three and the last tattoo artist standing?

Reach Senior Entertainment Editor Kathy Zerbib here. Follow her on Twitter here.



 

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