Was ESPN out of pocket for comparing Joey Chestnut to Bill Russell?
Joey Chestnut, widely regarded as the greatest competitive eater of all time, continued his unprecedented dominance by winning the prestigious ‘Mustard Belt’ at the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest for an eighth consecutive year.
This achievement now leaves him just one victory away from matching the all-time record held by Miki Sudo in the women’s division.
Chestnut’s incredible journey began in 2007 when he entered the contest as a massive underdog against Takeru Kobayashi, the six-time defending champion and revered figure in the world of competitive eating. However, Chestnut ended Kobayashi’s reign of supremacy and established himself as a force to be reckoned with in Major League Eating, reaching such heights that even his status as one of the greatest American athletes ever was debated on ESPN’s flagship show.
During the 2023 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, Chestnut’s performance was nothing short of extraordinary as he devoured an astonishing 62 hot dogs within the allotted ten minutes.
His closest competitor, Geoffrey Esper, managed a respectable 49 hot dogs but fell significantly short of Chestnut’s remarkable feat.
In the women’s division, Miki Sudo claimed her ninth consecutive victory and secured the coveted “Bejeweled Pink Belt” after consuming 39.5 hot dogs, narrowly defeating the runner-up, Mayoi Ebihara, who enjoyed 33.5 hot dogs.
Currently ranked third overall in Major League Eating, Sudo continues to establish her own legacy in the sport.
The commentators at the 2023 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest drew comparisons between Chestnut’s greatness and the iconic Bill Russell, a legendary figure in basketball who won an impressive 11 NBA Championships.
You can feel the moment when he realizes comparing Joey Chestnut to Bill Russell isn't going to go well… pic.twitter.com/ZogHXksevi
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) July 4, 2023
ESPN guy tried to compare Joey Chestnut to Bill Russell, immediately knew he made a mistake lol pic.twitter.com/qh8ovi3OR4
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) July 4, 2023
.@espn just compared Joey Chestnut to Bill Russell. pic.twitter.com/G68m75Qmem
— Bruce Tomaso (@brucetomaso) July 4, 2023
As of July 4th, 2023, Chestnut has accumulated a remarkable 16 victories in the annual contest, solidifying his status as an unrivaled force in competitive eating.
no one on Earth is a better hypeman than @gcshea. listen to this Joey Chestnut intro and bask in his glory. #nathansfamous pic.twitter.com/Wcu3YsDPQG
— Russell (@RussellHFilm) July 4, 2023
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