Joey Chestnut will still be eating hot dogs on the Fourth of July. It just won’t happen in Coney Island.
Chestnut will compete against soldiers at Fort Bliss, Texas, after his fallout with Nathan’s Famous due to a sponsorship deal with Impossible Foods.
Chestnut will not compete in the hot dog eating contest because of his deal with the company.
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Joey Chestnut, winner of the 2021 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest, poses for photos in Coney Island’s Maimonides Park July 4, 2021, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP Photo/Brittainy Newman, File)
Chestnut, who ate a record-setting 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes during the 2021 event, said he was “gutted” when he learned he couldn’t compete in the event. He said he loves the atmosphere at the event and the fans who come out to see the competition.
Chestnut will match up against hungry soldiers on America’s Independence Day.
“If they (each) break ten, that’d be pretty good,” he told The Associated Press.
He said he’d do a practice round Friday, then ingest oils to “make sure there’s a clean highway, there won’t be any traffic jams” in his digestive system.
Competitive eater Joey Chestnut poses with his mustard yellow championship belt during a game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Ball State Cardinals at Sanford Stadium Sept. 9, 2023, in Athens, Ga. (Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images)
Chestnut said he hopes to be back in the Nathan’s competition next year, though the obstacle with Major League Eating will have to be overcome.
“I feel bullied,” he said. “If I’m ever going to work with them again, they’re going to have to apologize,” Chestnut said.
Major League Eating spokesman George Shea told AP the sponsorship deal was an issue.
“Unfortunately, this was not enough to get us to an agreement,” the statement said. “We think this is a powerful tribute to our armed forces, and we wish Joey the best of luck at his event.”
Joey Chestnut stuffs his mouth with hot dogs during the men’s competition of Nathan’s Famous July Fourth hot dog eating contest, July 4, 2019, in New York’s Coney Island. (AP Photo/Sarah Stier, File)
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Chestnut fans will have to wait to see his Netflix competition against Takeru Kobayashi in September.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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