Joey Chestnut made a dramatic return to Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest this 4th of July, and the hype was well-deserved, given what he went on to do.
Chestnut’s return was “ABSOLUTE. CINEMA,” with the ESPN announcer introducing him as if he were about to fight a God on Mount Olympus.
Check it out in the video below:
“CINEMA,” one fan agreed.
“Underrated American Hero! 🇺🇸🌭,” said a second.
“That’s not bombast, that’s a fitting intro to a living legend that towers over all rivals in his sport,” a third commented.
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“That’s impressive! Chestnut really knows how to dominate the competition,” a user claimed.
“Absolutely, Joey Chestnut is ready to go for his 17th title. 🍔,” another comment read.
Joey Chestnut Claims Title No. 17
Chestnut did go on to win that 17th title, downing 70.5 hot dogs in 10 minutes.
Chestnut was banned from the 2024 competition because he reached a deal with the plant-based brand Impossible Foods. However, he returned to Nathan’s, coming to terms on a new agreement that’s seen him get back down to business at Coney Island this Friday
“I missed it,” he remarked. “Nothing beats Coney Island on the Fourth.”
While Joey Chestnut didn’t break the 76-dog record he set in 2021, he ate quickly enough to create separation from the rest of the competitors, which included last year’s champion Patrick Bertoletti.
Bertoletti was able to win with a 58-dog haul in Joey’s absence last year.
America is definitely happy that Joey is back. The contest, referred to as “10 minutes of glory,” is a favorite pastime, something which was evident when thousands gathered at Coney Island to watch in person while millions tuned into ESPN2.
