Ink Master interview: Winner Tony Medellin on his victory and more

Tony Medellin entered the Ink Master finale a little bit earlier this month as the underdog, even in some ways in the edit. Yet, he was the one who kept hustling, kept pushing forward, and in the end, he is the guy to get the grand prize and the title with some fantastic art. He was able to overtake both Tiffer Wright and Teej Poole in a hard-fought finale that included everything from a back piece to a collaborative tattoo with his mentor Cleen Rock One.

So what did Tony say about his experience, his initial expectations for the season, and also working with Cleen? Check out his thoughts in the exit interview below!

CarterMatt – Has it started to settle in that you are the champion of this season?

Tony Medellin – Winning Ink Master has not settled in yet, and to be honest, I don’t think it ever will.

In coming on this show, what were some of your expectations?

I came in with zero expectations, I was just hoping I would make it to the next round every week.

What part of the final master canvas did you find the most challenging?

The hardest part about my master canvas was the subject matter. I really wanted to pick the right design that my canvas and I both would love and I didn’t want to overthink it.

You came into the competition with a lot of experience in street shops. How valuable was that for you in the end?

I think working in a street shop was very valuable to me in the end. I adapted more to them than they ever did for me and in the end it won me the competition.

What did you learn from working with Cleen most of the season?

I learned a lot from Cleen. Technical application was the main one. I was able to make solid, clean tattoos.

If there was ever an all-winners season, is that something you want to be a part of?

Hey, money talks, bs walks!

Related News – Check out more news regarding Ink Master, including some more exit interviews featuring the contestants

Congrats to Tony on the win! We do think that there is something intriguing about the idea of an all-winners season, even if it’s not something we’re altogether sure that the producers would opt for or not — they need to have more winners before it could even happen! Knowing this show’s propensity for bringing people back these days, we certainly do think that there is a chance we could see Tony again.

Are you happen that Tony Medellin was the winner of Ink Master this past season, and would you like to see him again on the show in the future? Be sure to share right now in the attached comments. (Photo: Paramount Network.)