SouthernWorldwide.com – The Fourth of July would not be the same without the presence of Joey Chestnut.
As America celebrates its 250th birthday, people across the nation will be glued to their televisions at noon. The world’s premier competitive eater will aim to consume a hot dog for every year the United States has been in existence.
While that is a symbolic aspiration, it is widely anticipated that Chestnut will secure his 18th Mustard Yellow Belt in his 19th appearance on Saturday afternoon.
His remarkable journey to greatness began in 2007. This marked the end of a six-year winning streak by Takeru Kobayashi, the former champion, who had suffered a jaw injury prior to the contest. Chestnut’s impressive feat of 66 hot dogs surpassed Kobayashi’s 63, heralding the start of a legendary career.
A fierce rivalry then developed between the two. Chestnut narrowly defeated Kobayashi in the subsequent two years, even requiring a tie-breaking eat-off in 2008. Following Kobayashi’s disqualification from the event in 2010, Chestnut’s dominance became undeniable.
Chestnut consistently won every title from 2007 to 2014. However, in a significant upset in 2015, Matt Stonie defeated him with a score of 62-60. Stonie’s reign was short-lived, as Chestnut returned to win the next eight consecutive events.
A new champion emerged in 2024, though not due to Chestnut’s defeat. He was prohibited from participating after endorsing a rival brand to Nathan’s. Following extensive negotiations, Chestnut was reinstated for the 2025 event with only weeks to spare. He swiftly reclaimed the title, consuming an impressive 70½ hot dogs and buns.
Not all of Chestnut’s victories have been without challenge. In 2022, his eating was disrupted by a protester. Miraculously, Chestnut subdued the individual with a chokehold and promptly returned to his task, still managing to finish 63 hot dogs and buns.
Even his expected victory on Saturday is not without its complexities. His eligibility for the 2026 competition was uncertain for a period due to a battery charge. Chestnut pleaded guilty to drunkenly slapping a man at an Indiana bar in April. He is currently serving 180 days of probation but received permission to travel for the event.
His personal best stands at an astounding 76 hot dogs, a record he set in 2021. This surpassed his own previous record of 75 from the year before, which in turn broke the 2018 record of 74.
While many tune in for a singular reason, Chestnut believes the event signifies more than just his personal performance.
“It’s an event, it’s more than just an eating contest. It’s part of the Fourth of July celebration for New York City, and I’m just a very little part of it. And when it comes to that celebration, I’m very happy that I was able to come back and be part of people’s Fourth of July.”
