Crowds gathered in the sweltering heat on Saturday to honor the 250th birthday of the United States by witnessing renowned competitive eater Joey "Jaws" Chestnut defend his title at the world hot dog eating championship held in Coney Island. Chestnut accomplished the impressive feat of consuming 66 hot dogs within a span of 10 minutes, while Miki Sudo also secured her title in the women's division.
This victory marked Chestnut's 18th win at the highly anticipated Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest, an event he has participated in 21 times. The 42-year-old competitive eater outperformed 13 competitors hailing from various locations, including the Czech Republic, Australia, and South Korea.
Following his victory, Chestnut, donning a large, bejeweled necklace emblazoned with the name of the sports betting company "Polymarket," expressed his excitement in an interview. "It’s a dream, it’s electric, there’s no place better on Earth," he exclaimed, highlighting the electrifying atmosphere of the event. Prior to the competition, he had referred to competitive hot dog eating as "the most patriotic sport we’ve got” in a video shared on Instagram.
Chestnut's remarkable performance surpassed second-place competitor Patrick Bertoletti, 41, who managed to eat 50 hot dogs. However, Chestnut fell short of his personal record of 76 hot dogs set in 2021, which translates to approximately 7.6 hot dogs per minute.
In the women’s division, defending champion Miki Sudo, 40, from Tampa, Florida, clinched the prestigious bright pink Mustard Belt for the 12th time by devouring 38.75 hot dogs. Notably, she had set a record the previous year by consuming 51 hot dogs.
After the contest, Sudo joined the audience to support her husband, who had proposed to her in 2021 after breaking a world record by eating 50 boiled eggs in just over three minutes. Both champions acknowledged the additional challenge posed by the intense heatwave, with Brooklyn temperatures soaring to around 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) during the event. ESPN announcers mentioned that the high humidity altered the buns' consistency, further complicating the competitors' efforts.
“I just said I would have to rely on muscle memory, and the crowd really carried me through to another belt today,” Sudo reflected on her experience in the intense conditions.
A large contingent of fans braved the oppressive heat to witness the thrilling event. Many were adorned with foam hot dog hats and gathered outside the original Nathan’s Famous restaurant, which has been an iconic establishment in Coney Island, Brooklyn, since 1972. Those closest to the stage came prepared, wearing ponchos as a precaution against possible incidents during the competition.
Earlier in the year, there were concerns regarding Chestnut’s participation in the 2026 competition following his arrest for allegedly slapping a man in an Indiana bar. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery and was placed on probation but is permitted to travel outside Indiana. The contest organizer, Major League Eating, confirmed that this legal matter did not impede Chestnut’s eligibility for the championship.
Despite his success, Chestnut expressed disappointment in his post-competition interview with ESPN, indicating that he felt he could have achieved a higher score. “Dang, I got so much room left,” he stated, as announcers referred to him as the "Michelangelo of Mastication."
