Joey Chestnut will defend Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest title on July 4 while serving probation sentence Competitive eater Joey Chestnut has been granted permission to travel outside Indiana to defend his Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest title on July 4, despite being on probation for a misdemeanor battery charge. Chestnut pleaded guilty to the charge, stemming from an incident where he allegedly slapped a man in the face. He will be competing for his 18th title, having previously consumed 70.5 hot dogs and buns in the 10-minute timeframe.

• Joey Chestnut will compete in the Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4.
• He is currently serving 180 days of probation for a misdemeanor battery charge.
• Chestnut was granted permission to travel outside Indiana for the competition.
• He is aiming for his 18th Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest title.
• He previously signed a deal with Impossible Foods, a rival to Nathan’s, which led to a temporary ban from the 2024 contest.