Joey Chestnut to defend hot dog eating title while on probation after pleading guilty to battery
NOBLESVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Competitive eater Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, reigning champion and the 17-time winner of Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest, will compete in the July 4th show while on parole after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor battery charge.
Chestnut pleaded guilty on April 20 and was sentenced to 180 days of probation in Hamilton County, Indiana. A judge granted him permission to travel out of state, allowing Chestnut to defend his title and his signature Mustard Belt at Coney Island this summer.
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The competitive eating sensation was accused of slapping a man in the face late at night at a bar in Indiana. Us Weekly. When law enforcement later questioned Chestnut, he said he was drunk and did not remember the fight, the publication reported.
Chestnut’s attorney, Mario Massillamany, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Richard Shea, co-founder and president of Major League Eating, which oversees the Nathan’s Famous contest, told the Associated Press that the controversy did not affect Chestnut’s eligibility for the contest.
“This incident did not violate Major League Eating’s code of conduct because it occurred outside of any organizational event or activity and was handled by local authorities,” Shea said.
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Last year at Nathan’s Famous, Chestnut reclaimed the championship by eating 70 1/2 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. I missed the 2024 competition due to rival sponsorship. Nathan’s had temporarily banned him from competing after he signed an endorsement deal with plant-based meat company Impossible Foods.
Most recently, Chestnut won the 2026 Ultimate Bologna Showdown in Tennessee for the third consecutive year, setting a new world record by consuming 16 pounds of sausage in 8 minutes.
