Joey Chestnut may be excluded from this year’s Nathan’s July 4th Hot Dog Eating Contest, but he’s gearing up for another exciting event.
Netflix has revealed that on September 2, Chestnut will compete against fellow eating legend, Takeru Kobayashi, in a live-streamed hot dog eating challenge.
Kobayashi, a pioneer in competitive eating, first made waves at the Nathan’s contest in 2001 by devouring 50 hot dogs, shattering the previous record by nearly double.
He clinched the title six times and attracted massive television audiences, until a contract dispute with Major League Eating led him to cease participation in 2010.
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The stage for this new competition was likely set by Kobayashi’s recent portrayal in a Netflix documentary. Despite having retired, the 46-year-old Kobayashi will return to the competitive eating scene to take on Chestnut once again.
Their rivalry dates back to the 2007 Nathan’s contest, where Chestnut emerged victorious, and continued through to 2008, when Chestnut won again in a tiebreaker after both competitors tied at 59 hot dogs.
