New York — America’s perennial sizzling canine swallowing champion received’t compete on this yr’s Independence Day competitors on account of a contract dispute, organizers stated Tuesday.
Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, 40, has been competing since 2005 and hasn’t lost since 2015. Eventually yr’s Nathan’s Well-known Fourth of July sizzling canine consuming contest he downed 62 franks and buns in 10 minutes.
However Major League Eating occasion organizer George Shea says Chestnut is transferring away from the competition on account of a contract dispute.
“We love him, the followers love him,” Shea stated, including that “He made the selection.”
Shea says Chestnut struck a cope with a competing model — a crimson line for the Nathan’s-sponsored occasion — however didn’t elaborate. He stated the dispute got here right down to exclusivity, not cash.
“It might be like Michael Jordan saying to Nike, ‘I’m going to signify Adidas, too,’” Shea stated.
Chestnut didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark made by means of his web site.
Chestnut has lengthy dominated the competitors. These vying for second place previously may need renewed hope to swallow their technique to first place this yr, together with worldwide opponents on the consuming circuit.
Final yr’s 2nd place winner was Geoffrey Esper from Oxford, Massachusetts, who downed 49 canines. Third place went to Australia’s James Webb with 47. That was removed from Chestnut’s greatest effort: his report was 76 Nathan’s Well-known sizzling canines and buns in 10 minutes in 2021.
In 2010, Japanese eating champion Takeru Kobayashi, Chestnut’s then-rival, additionally stopped competing within the annual bun combat on account of a contract dispute with Main League Consuming. Kobayashi crashed the competition in a T-shirt studying “Free Kobi” and was arrested. He was sentenced to six months’ probation. Kobayashi introduced his retirement from the game final month.
