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Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest results: Joey Chestnut claims 17th win with 70.5 hot dogs after 1-year ban
There's a reason Joey Chestnut is the GOAT of guzzling hot dogs. Chestnut consumed an incredible 70.5 hot dogs and bun Friday to capture his 17th win at the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. The win marked his first since Chestnut was banned from the competition in 2024 due to sponsorship issues. Advertisement Chestnut returned to the competition with a vengeance, beating second-place finisher Patrick Bertoletti by 25 hot dogs and buns. Bertoletti took down 46.5 hot dogs and buns to finish as the runner-up behind Chestnut. Chestnut entered the day hoping to break his Nathan's record. Chestnut took down 76 hot dogs at the competition in 2021, a personal best at the event. Chestnut's own record is even higher, as he ate 83 hot dogs during a competition against rival Takeru Kobayashi in 2024. Chestnut failed to set a new record, but it was still a dominant victory. With the win, Chestnut has now one all but two Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contests since 2007. He fell to Matt Stonie in 2015 and did not participate in the event in 2024 due to the ban. Every other year in which he's taken part in the competition, he's won it. This story will be updated.
Fox News
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Joey Chestnut reclaims Hot Dog Eating Contest title after last year's absence by downing 70.5 franks
The GOAT of eating is back. Joey Chestnut returned to the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest on Friday after being ineligible last year, and he was back like he never left. Chestnut downed 70.5 hot dogs and buns for his 17th title in his last 18 events (he lost to Matt Stonie in 2015). Chestnut downed 30 dogs in the first three minutes, already well ahead of his competition, and he never looked back. He was well on pace to shatter his record of 76 dogs and buns in the 10-minute time frame, downing 46 in the first half of the competition. He began to slow down, putting down just 11 in the next two minutes, but he had practically already clinched the win. For reference, he ate 58 hot dogs, the winning number last year, in the first seven-and-a-half minutes. Now, it was a chase for the record. Fatigue set in, and he fell short of his record by five. But, it was the best performance in the event since he set the record back in 2021. It is the seventh time Chestnut cracked the 70 mark. This was Chestnut's 20th appearance in the event, tying the all-time record. Last year's champ, Patrick Betoletti, finished with 46.5 dogs and buns. Chestnut was not eligible to participate in last year's event after he signed a deal with Impossible Foods, a rival of Nathan's. But last month, Chestnut announced that he and the organizers had found common ground on sponsorships. "I'm thrilled to be returning to the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest. This event means the world to me. It's a cherished tradition, a celebration of American culture, and a huge part of my life," Chestnut wrote on X. "While I have and continue to partner with a variety of companies, including some in the plant-based space, those relationships were never a conflict with my love for hot dogs. To be clear: Nathan's is the only hot dog company I've ever worked with. "I respect that there were differences in interpretation, but I'm grateful we've been able to find common ground. I'm excited to be back on the Coney Island stage, doing what I live to do, and celebrating the Fourth of July with hot dogs in my hands! Stay hungry!" Chestnut was obviously the overwhelming favorite to win it all – he set a popcorn-eating world record back in May. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
New York Times
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest: Joey Chestnut, Miki Sudo and a chasing field
When it comes to competitive eating, there's Joey Chestnut … and there's everybody else. The annual Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest takes place Friday at Brooklyn's Coney Island, and a 16-time champion returns to the scene to remind the world that he's still the greatest of all time. Chestnut is back in the competition following a 2024 ban, having signed a deal that endorsed plant-based hot dogs. Advertisement Chestnut won his first Nathan's hot dog eating championship — and the coveted Mustard Belt — in 2007. Since then, he was champion every year through 2014, lost to Matt Stonie in 2015, then won the contests from 2016 to 2023. Chestnut is ranked No. 1 in the Major League Eating rankings and holds 55 world eating records, from hot dogs (83 in 10 minutes during a Netflix-streamed battle against another eating champion, Takeru Kobayashi) and hard-boiled eggs (141 in eight minutes) to traditional tacos (126 in eight minutes), Twinkies (121 in six minutes) and hamburgers (103 Krystal burgers in eight minutes). I'm thrilled to be returning to the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest. This event means the world to me. It's a cherished tradition, a celebration of American culture, and a huge part of my life. (1/3) — Joey Chestnut (@joeyjaws) June 16, 2025 Chestnut is a heavy favorite to win the Nathan's event Friday. However, that doesn't mean an upset can't happen (see 2015 with Stonie). Chestnut will have a handful of contenders aiming to remove him from the proverbial men's division throne. And along with Chestnut, there are the competitors who make up the women's division, particularly the equally dominant Miki Sudo, a 10-time Nathan's champion. As we get ready for Friday, here are 10 hot dog competitors not named Joey Chestnut — including a happy couple — to watch during the Nathan's event. Each bio includes the participant's Major League Eating ranking. All bios are listed in alphabetical order. (Note: Major League Eating ranks the top 50 men and women together.) Hometown: Chicago MLE rank: 2 What to know: Nicknamed 'Deep Dish,' Bertoletti won the Chestnut-less Nathan's competition last year by eating 58 hot dogs. He holds numerous eating world records, including jalapeño peppers (275 in eight minutes) and doughnuts (47 glazed and cream-filled in five minutes). The 40-year-old, who grew up on the South Side of Chicago, will view Friday as an opportunity to prove he belongs among the Mount Rushmore of eaters. Hometown: Oxford, Mass. MLE rank: 3 What to know: Esper ate 53 hot dogs at last year's competition. He was considered a favorite with Chestnut out of the picture, as he has three runner-up finishes behind Chestnut. Esper has two different world records in eating chicken wings (281 Buffalo wings in 12 minutes and 281 Hooters wings in 10 minutes), and he has eaten 11 corn dogs in three minutes. A random fact: Esper has a master's degree in physics from Clark University in Worcester, Mass. A post shared by City Cast Las Vegas (@citycastvegas) Hometown: Las Vegas MLE rank: 8 What to know: Hendrickson devoured 30 hot dogs and finished 10th in last year's men's competition, but he put down a personal-best 33 1/2 in the Pleasanton, Calif., qualifier last month. Nicknamed 'Heavy D,' Hendrickson will make his sixth appearance in the event. Hendrickson will be viewed as a major underdog, but this is what he wants as he prepares for the Coney Island experience. Hometown: Tucson, Ariz. MLE rank: 9 What to know: Lesco, the 2021 Nathan's champion, is an interesting individual with a unique nickname. 'Cardboard Shell' stems from an old MySpace page. Aside from her ability to put food down, she was named Major League Eating's Humanitarian of the Year for her work with youth around Arizona. Last year, Lesco finished third in the Nathan's event after eating 23 1/2 hot dogs. In 2021, she ate 30 3/4 hot dogs. A post shared by Major League Eating (@eatingcontest) Hometown: Long Pond, Pa. MLE rank: 21 What to know: If you have a nickname like 'The Real Deal,' you have to back it up with your actions. The 55-year-old Mele once ate 21 1/2 hot dogs in 2012. She ate 14 1/2 hot dogs to take fourth in the women's division of the Nathan's event last year. Mele qualified for this year's event by winning the Lake Compounce qualifier in Bristol, Conn., in May. A post shared by Gideon Oji (@gidioji) Hometown: Morrow, Ga. MLE rank: 7 What to know: The first thing people notice about Oji is his height. At 6 foot 9 and 225 pounds, he is a former college basketball player who competed at center for two seasons at Division II Clayton State. Oji ate 33 Nathan's hot dogs last year to finish eighth in the men's division, but he also has a fourth-place finish after eating 38 in 2016. Oji has world eating records with baked beans (10 pounds, 1 minute, 45 seconds) and kale (25 1/2 16-ounce bowls in eight minutes). A post shared by Major League Eating (@eatingcontest) Hometown: Marysville, Wash. MLE rank: 23 What to know: Prettyman has built her résumé as a civic officer working for the Northwest Region of the Red Cross. She's also made her presence known on the eating circuit. As a rookie in 2018, she ate 11 hot dogs. During the Nathan's competition last year, she ate 12 to finish in sixth place in the women's division. She is one of only five women ranked in the MLE top 25. Hometown: Tampa, Fla. MLE rank: 5 What to know: Sudo set a new women's record last year with 51 hot dogs eaten. Had she competed against the men, she would have finished in fourth place behind Bertoletti (58), Esper (53) and James Webb (52). Sudo, who is married to another competitor, Nick Wehry, is a 10-time champion (2014-20, 2022-24; she skipped 2021 as she and Wehry were expecting their first child) and is a heavy favorite to repeat Friday. Sudo entered competitive eating in 2013 and has been an absolute force ever since. Some would argue that if Chestnut weren't around, Sudo might be considered the GOAT. Congrats to James Webb who will become the first Aussie to compete at Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4th 👏🌭👏🌭 — Roasted Sports (@Roasted_Sports_) June 21, 2022 Hometown: Sydney, Australia MLE rank: 4 What to know: Once a semi-pro soccer player, Webb has discovered a new passion in competitive eating and is a social media influencer. He is known as 'JWebby Can Eat,' and as the top-ranked eater in Australia, the nickname holds true. Webb ate 52 hot dogs and finished third in last year's Nathan's event. He also holds world records for eating doughnut holes (350 in eight minutes), pistachios (338 in eight minutes) and most recently, sausage (53 2 1/2-ounce Texas sausages in 10 minutes). A post shared by Nick Wehry (@nickwehry) Hometown: Tampa, Fla. MLE rank: 6 What to know: Ranked right behind his wife, Sudo, in the eating rankings, Wehry is a physical specimen. He also happens to be a world record holder, having eaten 50 hard-boiled eggs in 3 minutes, 4 seconds. Wehry was a top-five finisher in last year's Nathan's competition, finishing with 46 3/4 hot dogs eaten. His most noticeable accomplishment? Wehry once competed in an eating contest against a grizzly bear. Wehry and Sudo are collectively known as 'The Hungry Couple.' (Top photo of Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo: Yuki Iwamura / AFP via Getty Images)
