Sports
Joey Chestnut vs. Kobayashi Hot Dog-Eating Contest Set by Netflix After Nathan’s Bans the 16-Time Champ
Grab your ketchup and mustard, because the mother of all hot dog-eating contests is here.
Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi, two of the world’s most famous competitive eaters, will participate in the ultimate hot dog-eating contest live on Netflix on Labor Day. The location and specific timing for the Sept. 2 event will be announced at a later date.
Titled “Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef,” the two eaters will embark in a rematch “that will determine the ultimate hot-dog-eating champion — in which the competitors will fight to eat the most all-beef hot dogs,” Netflix said in a release Wednesday.
“Through all of my years in competitive eating, Kobayashi stands out as my fiercest rival,” said Chestnut. “Competing against him pushed me to be so much better. I know that fans have waited a long time for another chapter of our rivalry and I can’t wait for our massive showdown live on Netflix! It’s time to give the people what they want!”
The news comes a day after Coney Island’s iconic Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest banned Chestnut from this year’s competition after he signed a deal with vegan hot dog brand Impossible Foods. Chestnut is a 16-time champion at Nathan’s yearly Fourth of July contest and has won the past eight years in a row. He holds the world record after scarfing down 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes. Kobayashi is a six-time Nathan’s champ, winning six years in a row in the early 2000s. Chestnut defeated Kobayashi for the first time in 2007, and they two had a fierce rivalry in the mid 2000s. They last faced off in 2009, when Chestnut emerged victorious.
Kobayashi previously announced in the Netflix documentary “Hack Your Health” that he was retiring due to health concerns, but he has now reversed course.
“Retiring for me will only happen after I take him down one last time,” said Kobayashi. “This rivalry has been brewing for a long time. Competing against Joey live on Netflix means fans all over the world can watch me knock him out.”