Grab the ketchup and mustard, because the mother of all hot dog eating contests is here.
Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi, two of the world’s most famous competitive eaters, will take part in the ultimate hot dog eating contest live on Netflix on Labor Day. The exact location and timing of September 2 will be announced at a later date.
Titled “Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef,” the two eaters will embark on a rematch “that will determine the ultimate hot dog-eating champion — where competitors will battle to eat as many beef hot dogs as possible,” on Netflix. He said in a statement on Wednesday.
“Throughout my years of competitive eating, Kobayashi has emerged as my fiercest competitor,” Chestnut said. “Competing against him has pushed me to be that much better. I know the fans have waited a long time for another chapter of our rivalry and I can’t wait for our huge showdown live on Netflix! It’s time to give the people what they want!”
The news comes one day after Coney Island’s popular Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest banned Chestnut from this year’s contest after he signed a deal with plant-based sausage brand Impossible Foods. Chestnut is a 16-time champion of Nathan’s annual Fourth of July competition and has won the past eight years in a row. He holds the world record after smashing 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes. Kobayashi is a six-time Nathan champion, winning six years in a row in the early 2000s. Chestnut defeated Kobayashi for the first time in 2007, and the two had a fierce rivalry in the mid-2000s. Their last confrontation was in 2009, when Chestnut was victorious.
Kobayashi previously announced in the Netflix documentary “Hack Your Health” that he was retiring due to health concerns, but has now reversed course.
“Retirement for me will not happen until I knock him out for the last time,” Kobayashi said. “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.”
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