Legendary hot dog eating champion Joey Chestnut has bested his former partner in eating, Nathan's Famous, by announcing his own event on Thursday.
"HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!! I'm getting ready to eat hot dogs against soldiers at Fort Bliss Army base!! Live stream starts at 5pm ET!" he posted on X.
Chestnut was disinvited from the 2024 Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest on Coney Island, New York, this year after he accepted a partnership with rival hot dog maker Impossible Foods and its vegan hot dog.
It will mark the first time in 19 years Chestnut will not participate in the event, where he is reigning champion and has won the coveted "Mustard Yellow Belt"16 years in a row.
Chestnut has inspired competitive eaters from all over the world for more than two decades. He holds 55 individual records including eating 76 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes in 2021.
"I was gutted to learn from the media that after 19 years Im banned from the Nathan's July 4th Hot Dog Eating Contest," he posted in June.
"I love competing in that event, I love celebrating America with my fans all over this great country on the 4th and I have been training to defend my title," he added.
Chestnut was reportedly to be paid $200,000 to compete at last year's event at Nathan's and was offered at $1.2 million, four-year deal beginning this year.
Chestnut will be live streaming his hot dog eating contest when he takes on soldiers at Fort Bliss Army Base in El Paso, Texas at 3:30 local time, according to the Fort Bliss Facebook page. Proceeds from the event will go to support military families.
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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