Takeru Kobayashi was once the king of Coney Island — at least on the Fourth of July. But it’s been over a decade since he’s taken the stage at the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest.
Kobayashi won six consecutive Nathan’s titles before Joey Chestnut took over as the dominant force in competitive eating. He last competed at the event in 2009 before a contract dispute with Major League Eating.
MLE wanted Kobayashi to sign an exclusive deal with the company, but he declined. That led to the company banning him from the competition.
“We were still negotiating until the eleventh hour,” Kobayashi said via his interpreter in an interview with ESPN. “But all of a sudden, Nathan’s published a press release that said Kobayashi will not compete. My lawyer and I were completely taken aback.”
The saga provided a precursor to the dispute playing out this year between Chestnut and MLE. Chestnut signed a sponsorship deal with Impossible Foods, and as a result, MLE blocked him from competing in the Nathan’s-sponsored contest.
After his own ban, Kobayashi desperately wanted to keep participating, so much so that he showed up to the 2010 Coney Island special wearing a “Free Kobayashi” T-shirt. Amid chants from the crowd (“Let him eat!”), the former champion rushed the stage before being arrested.
“I got really excited because of the chanting, and I decided to run over to the stage,” Kobayashi told ESPN. “And because the security, the police, were quite familiar with me, they created room for me to go up to the stage. But once I was there, I think the organizers told the police that I needed to be caught.”
Kobayashi wanted his fans to know he wanted to beat Chestnut and to dispute the rumors that he was “scared” and “ran away,” he said.
Don’t expect a return to Coney Island. But the six-time champion will finally fulfill his wish of challenging Chestnut one last time in a Netflix special. The two best competitors in the sport’s history will go head-to-head in a one-on-one matchup in September.
MORE: Who won the 2024 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest?
Takeru Kobayashi and Joey Chestnut on their upcoming Netflix special
Kobayashi, 46, won his first Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest in 2001. He reigned supreme on Coney Island for six straight years before Chestnut took the throne.
The two haven’t faced off since 2009, but Kobayashi told ESPN that he is looking forward to a final rematch after 15 years.
“I just want to decide who is the fastest eater, who is the stronger one,” Kobayashi said. “That needs to be decided once and for all.”
The idea of a rematch was pitched to Chestnut about two years ago, to which the 16-time champion said: “Of course I’d love to compete against him again, and I think there’s a way we could do it without Major League Eating, so he could be involved.”
MORE: Full list of Joey Chestnut’s world records
Enter Netflix. The two competitors ultimately signed a deal to set up the head-to-head battle, which will stream live on Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 2).
“He’s very competitive, and very serious, and I’m excited,” Chestnut told Sports Illustrated. “This is the guy that drove me — we drove each other to crazy limits, and we’re going to push each other again, finally. And finally there aren’t things in the way.”
Kobayashi made a bold prediction for the Labor Day contest.
“I want everyone to look forward to this,” Kobayashi told ESPN. “It will be live globally, and the world’s greatest will be determined. And it shall be me.”
Takeru Kobayashi vs. Joey Chestnut head-to-head record
Kobayashi has faced off against Chestnut five times at the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. Chestnut won three times, while Kobayashi won two.
YearWinner (HDB)Second (HBD)Third (HBD)2005Takeru Kobayashi (49)Sonya Thomas (37)Joey Chestnut (32)2006Takeru Kobayashi (53.75)Joey Chestnut (52)Sonya Thomas (37)2007Joey Chestnut (66)Takeru Kobayashi (63)Pat Bertoletti (49)2008Joey Chestnut (59)*Takeru Kobayashi (59)Tim Janus (42)2009Joey Chestnut (68)Takeru Kobayashi (64.5)Pat Bertoletti (55)
*Chestnut beat Kobayashi in an untimed eat-off, consuming five hot dogs in 50 seconds for the win.
When is Joey Chestnut vs. Takeru Kobayashi?
“Chestnut vs. Kobayashi” is scheduled for Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 2). It will air exclusively on Netflix.
A rivalry simmering for 15 years.
CHESTNUT VS. KOBAYASHI: UNFINISHED BEEF — the ultimate hot dog eating competition — will air LIVE on Netflix, Monday, September 2. pic.twitter.com/MeVQP1lQuS
— Netflix (@netflix) June 12, 2024
The contest will likely be the last competition between the two.
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