Joey Chestnut lashes out Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest as he hosts rival 4th of July event at Texas Army post after being banned from official competition

After breaking up with Nathan’s famous July 4th hot dog eating contest in New York, avid eater Joey Chestnut is rebounding by hosting his own hot dog eating contest against troops in Texas.

Chestnut will be live streaming himself took on soldiers at Fort Bliss Army Post in El Paso, Texas at 3:30 p.m. local time, according to Fort Bliss.

For the first time in 19 years, the reigning champion will not compete in the 10-minute hot dog eating fest in Brooklyn, which he has won 16 times.

Instead, the world’s best competitive eater takes on soldiers in a five-minute hot dog eating contest for charity.

Chestnut was part of the Coney Island tradition at Nathan’s for nearly two decades, but earlier this year he had a falling out with organizers.

In June, the professional hospitality industry executive claimed he had been banned from Nathan’s after signing a sponsorship deal with vegan hot dog maker Impossible Foods.

“I was shocked to learn through the media that I have been banned from the Nathan’s July 4th Hot Dog Eating Contest after 19 years,” Chestnut wrote in a Twitter post.

‘I’m excited to be part of that event, I’m excited to celebrate America with my fans all over this great country on the 4th and I’ve been training to defend my title.

The aftermath cost him some money, as Chestnut was reportedly paid $200,000 to participate in the 2023 contest and was offered a four-year, $1.2 million contract that begins this year.

For comparison, this year Chestnut will be competing against four of the best military men, and according to organizers, they will eat all-beef hot dogs to raise money for military families.

The event, part of “Pop goes the Fort Independence Day Celebration,” also includes a preliminary pizza eating contest for soldiers, followed by the Chestnut Chow Down.

Chestnut will then host a ‘meat and greet’ and answer questions from the audience.

Before the sausage fights, Chestnut broke bread with soldiers on Independence Day, according to photos shared on Twitter.

“A huge shoutout to the legendary @joeyjaws for spending his #4thofJuly at Fort Bliss, TX with our amazing #IronSoldiers of the @1stArmoredDiv,” tweeted @alexlicea82.

“We really appreciate it and nothing is more American than Joey Chestnut, hot dogs, and showing love to our troops!”

Chestnut says he was training to defend his 2023 title before being ‘banned’ from the competition

Meanwhile, the Nathan’s competition continued without him, with record holder Patrick Bertoletti of Chicago as the new champion.

“To be clear, I do not have a contract with MLE or Nathans and they want to change the rules from previous years for other partners that I can work with,” Chestnut said last month.

Apparently this is why I’m being banned, and it has no impact on the 4th of July event.

Unfortunately, this is the decision Nathan’s and Major League Eating are making, depriving the big fans of the usual joy and entertainment of the holiday.

“To my fans, I love and appreciate you. Rest assured you will see me eating again soon!! STAY HUNGRY!”

Major League Eating (MLE) contradicted Chestnut’s version NBC News.

“There’s no ban. Major League Eating wants him there. The fans want him there. Nathan wants him there,” MLE’s Richard Shea told the network.

“We are devastated that Joey Chestnut has chosen to represent a competing brand selling plant-based hot dogs rather than participate in the 2024 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest,” read a statement from Major League Eating (MLE), which is endorsing the event.

‘MLE and Nathan’s did everything they could to accommodate Joey and his management team, agreeing to a fee and allowing Joey to participate in a competitive, unbranded hot dog eating contest on Labor Day.

Chestnut has won the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest a record 16 times — including in 2023

“Joey Chestnut is an American hero. We would love nothing more than to have him at the Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest, which he has dominated for years. We hope he returns if he is not representing a rival brand.”

Ultimately, Chestnut felt obligated to honor his unspecified agreement with Impossible Foods.

Chestnut has been active in the meat consumption industry since 2005 and has been tearing up the competition ever since.

His record of 76 hot dogs eaten during the 2021 Nathan’s competition still stands as the most eaten hot dog tournament in the world.