With less than three weeks to go before the 2025 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, the “Michael Jordan” of the event has announced his return.
While his return announcement differed from the one-page fax sent by the greatest basketball player of all time in March 1995, Joey Chestnut posted on his X account that he will be returning to the competition on July 4th.
“I’m thrilled to be returning to the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest,” wrote Chestnut. “This event means the world to me. It’s a cherished tradition, a celebration of American culture, and a huge part of my life.”
The 16-time champion was banned from the 2024 iteration of the contest due to a sponsorship conflict with plant-based meat company Impossible Foods. This put a halt to his bid for a ninth straight title.
Instead, Chestnut elected to square off with rival Takeru Kobayashi in a hot dog-eating special for Netflix in September 2024. The champion ultimately won, eating a personal best 83 hot dogs to Kobayashi’s 67, which also is an unofficial world record.
Chestnut explained that while he will continue working with other companies, he has always had a soft spot for Nathan’s.
“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,” Chestnut said. “To be clear: Nathan’s is the only hot dog company I’ve ever worked with.”
Chesnut acknowledged that the one-year hiatus was due to miscommunication with Nathan’s, but all of that is now worked out. “I respect that there were differences in interpretation, but I’m grateful we’ve been able to find common ground,” Chestnut stated.
He sets his sights on reclaiming his title against current champion Patrick Bertoletti, who won last year’s competition with 58 hot dogs eaten.
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Murjani Rawls may be reached at mrawls@njadvancemedia.com