Ink Master
Don Peddicord (left) and Erik Siuda's rivalry came to an end in Season 5, episode 12 of "Ink Master." Don was eliminated from the competition. Spike

“Ink Master” Season 5 has been one wild ride. It’s been a long season of good tattoos, bad tattoos and a lot of drama, but the Spike series is winding down. With only six contestants left in the running for the title and $100,000 prize, fans have a pretty good idea of who is making it to the final three -- and who is going to be asked to pack their machines.

Episode 12 of “Rivals” kicked off after front-runner Josh Hibbard’s shocking elimination due to smoking weed. Josh’s departure left a gap in the final three, and the other contestants tried to prove their best to take that spot.

“Ink Master” fans know that Cleen Rock One and Erik Siuda are bound to make it to the finals. With consistent wins and praise from judges Dave Navarro, Oliver Peck and Chris Nunez, it’s pretty clear that no one can take them out of that top spot. But who will become the third contestant to make it to the finals? We’re still a few weeks away from that point, but it’s a close race for the other artists.

Fortunately, the series knocked out the final set of “Rivals” in episode 12, opening up “Ink Master” for an all-out brawl to the finish line. Don Peddicord, Erik Siuda’s rival for Season 5, was sent packing after failing to impress the judges with the skull he tattooed on the head of his canvas. Although he tried to throw Jason Clay Dunn under the bus for his bad design, the judges ultimately decided that Don did “not have what it takes to be Ink Master.”

Currently left in the running for “Ink Master” Season 5 is Jason, Eric, Cleen Rock One, Cris Element, Mark Longenecker and Aaron Is. Who do you think will get sent home next? We’re breaking it down below.

Cris Element

Cris Element has somehow managed to sneak by this competition. The judges have consistently called him out for playing it “safe” week after week, and Cris has yet to up his game.

Jason Clay Dunn

Jason dodged a bullet during episode 12. The former Season 3 contestant should know the deal, yet each week the judges seem to be criticizing him for his placement or design. While he ended up in the bottom of the bunch this past week, he’s definitely been improving since the start of the season.

Mark Longenecker

Mark is another tattoo artist who has been improving each week. While he definitely had a rough start, he’s been working on proving to the judges that he does have what it takes to win the competition.

Aaron Is

Aaron has totally been the sleeper this season, just like Matti Hixson in Season 4. The artist didn’t make an impression early on in the season, but it was likely due to the theatrics by his rival, Emily Elegado. Now that Emily is out of the running, Aaron has been proving himself to be a powerful force in the house.

Erik Siuda

Erik started off quiet at the beginning of Season 5, but has definitely become more vocal. He’s consistently been on top during the elimination rounds and has used that to rile up other cast members.

Cleen Rock One

Cleen is basically Season 4’s Scott Marshall -- and not just because they both seem to own only tank tops. Cleen has nailed a majority of the elimination competitions, and the judges rarely have anything negative to say about his work. His big moment really came in episode 12 when NFL running back DeAngelo Williams agreed to let him tattoo an original design on him.

"Ink Master" Season 5 airs on Tuesdays at 10 p.m. EST. Who do you think will get sent home in episode 13? Take the poll and tweet your thoughts to @AmandaTVScoop.

RELATED STORIES