Joey Chestnut to defend hot dog title while on probation
ESPN • • sports
Key Points:
- Joey Chestnut, 17-time Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest champion, will compete in the July 4 event despite being on probation for a misdemeanor battery charge related to an altercation at an Indiana bar.
- Chestnut pleaded guilty on April 20 and was sentenced to 180 days of probation, but a judge allowed him to travel out of state to defend his title at Coney Island.
- Major League Eating confirmed the incident did not violate their code of conduct since it occurred outside any official event and was handled by local authorities, maintaining Chestnut's eligibility to compete.
- Chestnut reclaimed the Nathan's title in 2025 by eating 70½ hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes after missing the 2024 contest due to a sponsorship conflict with Impossible Foods.
- Recently, Chestnut set a world record by eating 16 pounds of sausage in 8 minutes at the 2026 Ultimate Bologna Showdown, marking his third consecutive win at the event.