Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi to face off in hot dog eating contest, live on Netflix
NEW YORK — For the first time in 15 years, Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi will once again square off in a hot dog eating contest — this one streaming live on Netflix on Labor Day.
Wednesday’s announcement of the dog fight came one day after Chestnut was kicked out of the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on Coney Island on July 4.
Chestnut, 40, and Kobayashi, 46, have devoured their competitive eating opponents in the 21st century, combining for 22 titles in the Independence Day competition.
“Through all of my years in competitive eating, Kobayashi stands out as my fiercest rival,” Chestnut said in a press release. “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!”
The last time Chestnut and Kobayashi went dog-for-dog was in 2009 on Coney Island, when Chestnut consumed 68 wieners in 10 minutes, while Kobayashi finished runner-up with 64.
After that, Major League Eating prevented Kobayashi from competing when he refused to sign an exclusive endorsement deal. Last month, on a different Netflix show, Kobayashi announced his retirement from competitive eating, saying, “I no longer feel hunger.”
However, he apparently changed his mind in recent weeks.
“Retiring for me will only happen after I take him down one last time,” Kobayashi said Wednesday in the press release. “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.”
In the man-eat-dog world of competitive eating, Chestnut has reigned supreme on Coney Island since 2007. He has won 16 of the past 17 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contests.
But before Chestnut became Commander-in-Chow, Kobayashi won the contest every year from 2001 to 2006.
“Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef” will air Sept. 2 on Netflix. Though Chestnut reportedly has a sponsorship with plant-based food manufacturer Impossible Foods, all the dogs will be beef-based for the showdown.
