Joey Chestnut to face rival Takeru Kobayashi in Labor Day hot dog eating contest on Netflix

One day after he was ruled ineligible to compete in Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest next month for signing with a rival hot dog brand, Joey Chestnut has his next event.

Chestnut, the 16-time champion, will face former nemesis Takeru Kobayashi in “Unfinished Beef” on Sept. 2. The competition will stream live on Netflix. 

The location has not been determined. 

“Through all of my years in competitive eating, Kobayashi stands out as my fiercest rival,” Chestnut said in a statement. “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!”

Chestnut, 40, won last year’s Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest by consuming 62 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. His record is 76 in 2021. Chestnut has won eight events in a row.   

He was put on the map in 2007 when he upset Kobayashi by eating 66 hot dogs in 12 minutes. Kobayashi entered that event as the six-time defending champion. 

“Retiring for me will only happen after I take him down one last time,” Kobayashi said in a statement Wednesday. “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.”

Kobayashi said in a recent Netflix documentary that he is retiring, noting health concerns. In it, he said, “I no longer feel hunger.”

The decision not to include Chestnut in this year’s Fourth of July Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest drew immediate uproar.

Major League Eating said Tuesday that Chestnut broke a rule that stipulated that no participant is allowed to promote a competing hot dog brand. Chestnut is sponsored by a plant-based food company.

“For nearly two decades we have worked under the same basic hot dog exclusivity provisions. However, it seems that Joey and his managers have prioritized a new partnership with a different hot dog brand over our long-time relationship,” Major League Eating said in a statement. 

The organization said it and Nathan’s recently “went to great lengths” to accommodate Chestnut, including allowing him to compete in “a rival unbranded hot dog eating contest on Labor Day,” an apparent reference to the Netflix event.

Netflix has increased its offerings of live sports in recent months. It will stream the Mike Tyson-vs.-Jake Paul boxing match in November, and it recently announced a three-game deal to show the NFL on Christmas Day.