A day after Joey Chestnut was disqualified from participating on this yr's Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4, the previous San Jose resident has found one other solution to reveal his unique ability to gobble up hot dogs.
On Wednesday, Netflix announced that the 16-time Nathan's champion will take part in a one-on-one hot dog eating contest with rival Takeru Kobayashi.
The event – promoted as “CHESTNUT VS. KOBAYASHI: UNFINISHED BEEF” – will air survive the streaming platform on Labor Day, September 2.
“In all my years of competitive eating, Kobayashi is my biggest rival,” Chestnut said in an announcement. “Competing against him has made me want to be so much better. I know the fans have been waiting a long time for a new chapter in our rivalry, and I can't wait for our big showdown live on Netflix! It's time to give the people what they want!”
Chestnut was disqualified from participating on this yr's Fourth of July contest after agreeing to endorse plant-based food company Impossible Foods – a call that made national headlines.
“We are devastated to learn that Joey Chestnut has chosen to represent a competing brand that sells plant-based hot dogs rather than participate in the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4, 2024,” the organizer of the July 4 event, Major League Eating, said in an announcement posted on X/Twitter on Tuesday.
Chestnut responded on the identical social media platform, saying he had no obligation to either Major League Eating or Nathan's.
“I have no contract with MLE or Nathan's and they want to change the rules of the past few years as far as other partners I can work with. This is apparently the basis for my ban,” he said in a tweet.
Impossible Foods said in an announcement to the Bay Area News Group on Tuesday: “We love Joey and support him in every competition he chooses. It's OK to experiment with a new hot dog. Meat eaters shouldn't have to limit themselves to just one hot dog.”
It's unclear if Chestnut and Kobayashi will eat plant-based or traditional hot dogs. It's also unknown if the Labor Day showdown was already agreed upon before Chestnut was banned from the Fourth of July stage.
A spokesperson for Impossible Foods didn’t immediately reply to a request for clarification on Wednesday.
Chestnut, a graduate of San Jose State University, is ranked No. 1 within the Major League Eating rankings.
Kobayashi dominated the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest within the early 2000s, winning the title six times in a row from 2001 to 2006. In his first championship win in 2001, he ate a then-record 50 hot dogs, beating the then-record held by fellow Japanese competitor Kazutoyo Arai, who ate 25 ⅛.
A rivalry that has been simmering for 15 years.
CHESTNUT VS. KOBAYASHI: UNFINISHED BEEF – the last word hot dog eating contest – airs LIVE on Netflix on Monday, September 2. pic.twitter.com/MeVQP1lQuS
— Netflix (@netflix) June 12, 2024
Kobayashi bested Chestnut within the Japanese star's last two Nathan's victories, but his run as king of the recent dog eating contest was interrupted in 2007 when Chestnut devoured 66 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes, sparking a historic run as champion.
Chestnut has won 16 of Nathan's 17 contests since his triumph in 2007 and broke his own record for many hot dogs eaten when he devoured down 76 in 2021.
Kobayashi was never the identical after the loss to Chestnut and was also banned from the Nathan's competition in 2010 as a result of a contract dispute.
The Japanese competitor is seeking to finally beat his American rival after losing to Chestnut thrice in a row from 2007 to 2009.
“My retirement will not come until I defeat him one last time,” Kobayashi said in an announcement. “This rivalry has been brewing for a long time. Facing Joey live on Netflix means fans around the world can watch me knock him out.”
The September hot dog eating contest is the newest example of Netflix's push into live streaming.
Last month, the Los Gatos-based company aired “The Roast of Tom Brady” in real time and is the streaming partner for the postponed boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, scheduled to happen in November.
Netflix has also signed a take care of the NFL to broadcast two NFL games on Christmas: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens vs. Houston Texans.
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