World record holder Joey Chestnut may not be competing at Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest this year, but fans won’t have to wait long to see him in action. On Labor Day, Chestnut will face off against his longtime rival, Takeru Kobayashi, in a Netflix special titled "CHESTNUT VS. KOBAYASHI: UNFINISHED BEEF." This highly anticipated showdown will determine the ultimate hot dog eating champion.
This big announcement by Netflix comes just a day after Chestnut was banned from competing in Nathan’s hot dog eating contest due to his recent deal with plant-based food company Impossible Foods, creating brand exclusivity issues.
Netflix writes: “It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there — and on Sept. 2, it will be a man- eat–(hot) dog world, too. Streaming live on Netflix, 16-time hot dog– eating champion Joey Chestnut will face off against rival and six-time hot dog–eating champion Takeru Kobayashi in Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef with all-beef hot dogs.”
This showdown is expected to settle a 15-year rivalry between the two famous competitive eaters.
Who is Joey Chestnut?
Joey Chestnut is a native of California who holds 55 world records in competitive eating, including the world record for consuming 76 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes, set in 2021. He’s a 16-time winner of the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest, dominating the event every year since 2016.
“Through all of my years in competitive eating, Kobayashi stands out as my fiercest rival,” said Chestnut. “Competing against him pushed me to be so much better. I know that fans have waited a long time for another chapter of our rivalry, and I can’t wait for our massive showdown live on Netflix! It’s time to give the people what they want!”
Who is Chestnut’s rival Takeru Kobayashi?
Hailed as the “godfather of competitive eating,” Kobayashi revolutionized the sport in 2001 when he almost doubled the previous record at the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest. He won the contest six consecutive times from 2001 to 2006, breaking his own record every year.
However, in 2010, a contract dispute led to his ban from the competition. Despite this setback, Kobayashi continued to set world records and currently holds more than 10 in the sport. Addressing the upcoming competition, he said, “Retiring for me will only happen after I take him down one last time. This rivalry has been brewing for a long time. Competing against Joey live on Netflix means fans all over the world can watch me knock him out.”
What is the rivalry between Chestnut and Kobayashi?
The rivalry between Chestnut and Kobayashi has captivated fans for years, dominating headlines at the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest. The last time these two competitive eating titans faced off was in 2009, when Chestnut narrowly defeated Kobayashi in a five-hot dog “sudden death” eat-off. The live event on September 2 will mark their first face-to-face competition in 15 years. The location and timing of the event will be announced at a later date.
"CHESTNUT VS. KOBAYASHI: UNFINISHED BEEF" is part of Netflix's expanding lineup of live sports events, which includes The Netflix Cup, The Netflix Slam, and the upcoming Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing event on November 15. Netflix Sports is also set to exclusively stream WWE Raw every week starting in 2025 and NFL games on Christmas from 2024 to 2026.
To catch up on the storied competitive eating rivalry ahead of Chestnut and Kobayashi’s rematch, viewers can watch "30 for 30: The Good, The Bad, The Hungry" on Netflix.
