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Girlfight! Model Elina Calls Out Backstabbing McKey

Elina talks her elimination and how she never knew McKey trashed her.

By Kristin Dos Santos Nov 06, 2008 7:34 PMTags
ANTM, Elina IvanovaTyra Banks/Pottle Productions Inc

OK, so "girlfight" might just be our wishful thinking, 'cause hot damn, that would be some gorgeous rough-and-tumble! But I just got off the phone with Top Model's latest eliminee, Elina, and she had a few words to say about her costar (and master of mixed martial arts) McKey, who trash-talked Elina on the show behind her back.

I also just heard from the much loved Mr. Jay Manuel, who gave this insight into Elina's surprising dismissal last night...

Michael Desmond/The CW

"Elina is a stunning girl inside and out!" Jay said. "It's a shame that she couldn't bring that truth and energy to all her photos."

Ain't that the truth! In fact, many of us had predicted Elina—who truly is stunning—would be the winner of the whole shebang. (She was your No. 1 pick to win back when both the Jays told me the winner was "obvious." So...who the heck is "obvious" now?!)

Regardless, Elina is coping well with the rejection, saying, "I'm pretty happy with my performance." And she also insists she isn't so stiff-as-a-board in real life.

"Of course I do [go wild sometimes]!" she told me. "But on the show, it's just a little harder. There's a lot of pressure, and there were a lot of people, and I think it might have been too much at times. I think all of the girls actually at one point or another might have had some trouble letting go because you're very self-conscious."

The CW

Elina said her only regret is how her big fight with Sheena was edited: "I wish they showed more of me defending myself and more of what we both had to say. There was a lot more." And she wishes she knew McKey was complaining about her behind her back in the confessional. "I didn't know I bothered McKey so much. That was kind of weird to hear—I didn't know she had a problem with me!"

Promise to call us up when you confront her? Especially if you happen to do so in that cage-fighting cage McKey's boyfriend has.

So who's Elina rooting for now? "Marjorie. Maybe I'm just being a little biased because she is one of my favorite people in the house, but I think she has a lot of modeling potential, and she's also a great person."

Hmmm...Could Marjorie be the "obvious" winner the Jays were talking about?

Russell James/Pottle Productions Inc