Joey Chestnut triumphed over Takeru Kobayashi in a hot dog-eating contest featured in Netflix’s special Unfinished Beef, held in Las Vegas on Labor Day.
The two competitive eating legends faced off in a 10-minute challenge at the HyperX Arena. Chestnut consumed an impressive 83 hot dogs and buns, surpassing his own world record of 76, which he set in 2021. Kobayashi, meanwhile, ate 66 hot dogs.
The event, hosted by actor Rob Riggle and former WWE star Nikki Garcia, was streamed live on Netflix. Contest rules prohibited the competitors from dunking their hot dogs in water, separating the buns from the hot dogs, or leaving any food in their mouths after the timer ended.
Chestnut’s victory earned him a grand prize of $100,000 and a custom championship belt presented by professional wrestler Rey Mysterio.
This contest marked the first time Chestnut and Kobayashi faced each other since 2009, reigniting their long-standing rivalry. Although Kobayashi announced his retirement earlier this year, he returned to compete in this special event.
Chestnut is a 16-time champion of the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, while Kobayashi has won the title six times. Their rivalry began in 2001, with Kobayashi dominating the Nathan’s contest for six consecutive years before Chestnut dethroned him in 2007.
After the competition, Chestnut expressed his appreciation for Kobayashi, stating, “He drives me. We push each other to be our best.” Kobayashi, through a translator, acknowledged his efforts, saying, “I feel like I did everything I could.”
The contest featured 300 hot dogs prepared for the competitors, who were met with an electrifying atmosphere and divided crowd support.
In addition to the main event, Leah Shutkever set a record for watermelon consumption, devouring over five pounds in under three minutes.
As the competition concluded, Chestnut’s performance reaffirmed his status as the reigning champion in competitive eating, while Kobayashi’s participation added excitement to the event. The rivalry between these two icons continues to captivate fans of competitive eating.
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