It’s true: Hot dog-eating champion Joey “Jaws” Chestnut will not compete in Nathan’s annual 4th of July competition on Coney Island.
But the legendary competitive eater will still devour far too many hot dogs — albeit in a different setting. Chestnut is headed to El Paso, where he’ll compete against soldiers at U.S. Army base Fort Bliss.
Chestnut was recently banned from the official Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest after he signed a deal with a rival company, plant-based Impossible Foods. Chestnut, 40, said on social media that he was gutted by the ban from Nathan’s and Major League Eating.
“I love competing in that event,” he wrote. “I love celebrating America with my fans all over this great country on the 4th and I have been training to defend my title.”
On Tuesday, El Paso’s Fort Bliss stepped in and invited him on X to attend the Pop Goes the Fort Independence Day celebration, and Chestnut quickly accepted the invitation.
“ABSOLUTELY!!! Thank you for the invitation!!” Chestnut replied. “I’m honored to celebrate America’s birthday with U.S. ARMY soldiers and their families. Bring me your best 4 eaters and I’ll take them down, combined!”
ABSOLUTELY!!! Thank you @FortBlissTexas for the invitation!! I’m honored to celebrate America’s birthday with U.S. ARMY soldiers and their families. Bring me your best 4 eaters and I’ll take them down, combined!
— Joey Chestnut (@joeyjaws)
Lora Diem, special events coordinator with the base, confirmed to El Paso Inc. that Chestnut plans to attend Fort Bliss’ celebration.
“It’s very exciting for us. This is the first year he’s not competing at Nathan’s in New York,” Diem told the publication. “This is his first opportunity to spend time with active-duty troops.”
Representatives at Fort Bliss did not respond to a phone call and email Wednesday from The Dallas Morning News, and Chestnut did not did immediately respond to a request for comment sent through his website.
Chestnut has long dominated the annual Nathan’s competition. He began competing in 2005 and has not lost since 2015. At last year’s Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest, he downed 62 franks and buns in 10 minutes.
Those vying for second place in the past, including international competitors on the eating circuit, might have renewed hope to capture first place this year. Last year’s runner-up was Geoffrey Esper from Oxford, Massachusetts, who downed 49 dogs. Third place went to Australia’s James Webb with 47.
Chestnut’s personal record was 76 Nathan’s Famous hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes in 2021.
Fort Bliss won’t be Chestnut’s only hot dog-eating engagement this year. On Sept. 2, he will face former rival Takeru Kobayashi in “Unfinished Beef” from a yet-to-be-announced location. The competition will stream live on Netflix.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.