16-time champion Joey Chestnut banned from Nathan’s hot dog eating contest

An Aussie could be the biggest winner after a shock ban rocked the competitive eating world amid a hot dog scandal.

Scandal has rocked the competitive eating world after 16-time Nathan’s hot dog eating champion Joey Chestnut was sensationally banned from the event.

The Nathan’s hot dog eating event is seen as the Super Bowl of the competitive eating world and Chestnut is easily the greatest of all-time.

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Chestnut has only lost the event once in the past 17 years and holds the world record of 76 hot dogs in just 10 minutes.

However, he’s not only a one-food wonder.

In his bio on the Major League Eating (MLE) website, it says Chestnut holds 55 world records in 55 disciplines.

But the sport’s undeniable GOAT is facing a ban from the July 4th tradition after being sensationally banned over a contract dispute, according to The New York Post.

The issue essentially boils down to the fact that MLE competitors can’t represent another hot dog brand other than Nathan’s.

Chestnut recently signed an endorsement deal with Impossible Foods, a plant-based meat company, whose recent marketing campaign targeted meat-eaters.

However, Chestnut, who is easily the most well-known professional eater in the world, is hopeful he can come to an agreement with MLE and still compete in the Fourth of July classic.

“I’m very hopeful that things can be worked out,” Chestnut told On3.

“I’ll be ready if we can get anything worked out. I’ll be hungry.”

You wouldn’t like him when he’s hungry. Photo by Yuki IWAMURA / AFP

Chestnut added he had “no regrets” about the move, but was disappointed the news became public.

“It’s unfortunate that things — negotiations, contract negotiations — became public,” he said.

However, MLE said it had not banned him at all, arguing Chestnut chose not to be part of the Nathan’s contest when he signed the contract.

“Joey was not banned. Joey chose not to compete in the contest the moment he chose to make an endorsement deal with one of Nathan’s competitors,” an MLE representative told The Post.

MLE also released a statement over the issue.

“For nearly two decades we have worked under the same basic hot dog exclusivity provisions,” the statement said.

“However, it seems that Joey and his managers have prioritised a new partnership with a different hot dog brand over our long-time relationship.”

However, there’s been a groundswell of support for Chestnut since the news broke.

New York City mayor Eric Adams tweeted: “Stop being such weenies! It would be ‘impossible’ to have this year’s Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest without Joey Chestnut.

“Let’s find a way to squash this beef and bring back the champ for another 4th of July at Coney Island!”

Joey Chestnut is the GOAT. Photo by Yuki IWAMURA / AFP

Even Aussie competitive eater James Webb, who has finished third in the last two years, called for MLE to come to the table.

“Tom Brady, LeBron James — he is of that calibre,” Webb told Channel 7’s The Morning Show on Friday.

“He’s a superstar, probably the best eater there will ever be. Competing against him, it’s an honour, it’s so much fun.

“To be the best, you’ve got to compete with the best and get beat by the best a couple of times. To compete with Joey, it raises your game.

“The other side of the coin, without Joey, it’s a massive opportunity. There are four of us chasing down that mustard belt. That competitive side of me — I want to bring that mustard belt back to Australia.”

James Webb has done Australia proud. Photo: AFP

If Chestnut doesn’t compete, Webb could be well placed to go for the belt, having eaten 47 hot dogs in last year’s event, only beaten to second by two hot dogs by Geoffrey Esper but having suffered gastro in the lead up to the event.

While Chestnut will continue to fight for his entry into the event, he will also compete against his fiercest rival Takeru Kobayashi for the first time in 15 years in a live Netflix special titled Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef in September.

“I’m really excited about the Netflix contest,” Chestnut said of the special. “Me and Kobayashi, he’s been my biggest rival forever. I’m just really excited to be able to eat against him again.”

The pair’s famous rivalry was also the centrepiece of the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary The Good, The Bad, The Hungry in 2019.