Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi are in a heated disagreement over the rules for their highly anticipated Netflix special, set to air on Monday.
The famed competitive eaters will face off in a 10-minute hot dog eating contest, but with a significant rule change: the competitors will be prohibited from dunking or pouring water on their hot dogs. This new regulation diverges from the traditional approach seen in most eating contests, like the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, where dunking is a common tactic.
The no-dunking rule was introduced following a specific request from Kobayashi. According to Kobayashi, the use of dunking is often exploited as a strategy to make the buns easier to consume, which can lead to unfair advantages and potential cheating. He explained through an interpreter, “There are many athletes who use the dunking process to disintegrate or melt the bun in the water, which can lead to cheating.”
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Despite Kobayashi’s claim that he only suggested the rule rather than demanded it, Chestnut views the situation differently. Chestnut believes that Kobayashi insisted on the rule in retaliation for their past encounters, particularly their 2009 Krystal Square Off, where Kobayashi defeated him in a no-dunking hamburger eating contest.
Chestnut proposed a compromise, suggesting a limited dunking time rather than an outright ban. “In the past, there was an issue with slower eaters dunking for extended periods, allowing their food to disintegrate. Faster eaters weren’t affected by this,” Chestnut noted. “Major League Eating implemented a rule that limited dunking to five seconds.”
Kobayashi aims to balance their head-to-head record, with Chestnut currently leading three wins to Kobayashi’s two in their five previous contests.
The Netflix special follows a notable shift in competitive eating, as Patrick Bertoletti recently broke Chestnut’s long-standing streak by winning the Nathan’s Hot Dog contest.
Chestnut was barred from participating due to a contract with Impossible Foods, marking a significant change in the competitive eating landscape.
