Competitive eater Joey Chestnut was disqualified from the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest due to a conflict with a sponsor, leading him to compete in Fort Bliss, Texas, where he dominated by consuming 57 hot dogs in 5 minutes, outperforming the total of four other contestants.
Despite his absence at Coney Island, Major League Eating CEO praised Chestnut’s skills.
“Just a great competitor, a great guy, a grown man, and a man who’s made a choice not to be here today,” CEO Rich Shea said.
“But fortunately for us, tens of thousands of people are crowding around Nathan’s Famous. It’s a pilgrimage every year. This is not a paid Hollywood crowd. This is excitement.”
“I love you guys,” Chestnut said. “You guys pushed me so hard, thank you so much.”
The event in Texas was sponsored by Impossible Foods, with a charity donation made to Operation Homefront.
