Hot dog-eating champion Joey Chestnut will not compete on July 4.

The country’s most famous hot dog eating contest is happening without its star stomach, after 16-time champion Joey “Jaws” Chestnut was banned for signing a deal with a company that makes sausages made from of plants.

Organizers of the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest said Tuesday they banned Chestnut from the July 4 event after he signed an endorsement deal with Impossible Foods, which recently launched a new marketing campaign specifically targeting meat eaters.

Major League Eating (MLE), the organization that oversees professional eating competitions (including but not limited to hot dogs), said in a statement that Chestnut had “chosen to represent a rival brand.” rather than participating in its famous Coney Island competition.

“For nearly two decades, we have operated under the same basic provisions for hot dog exclusivity,” the statement said. “However, it appears that Joey and his managers have prioritized a new partnership with another hot dog brand over our long-standing relationship.”

Chestnut, who demolished over a thousand hot dogs in the contest since his quest to dominate Coney Island began in 2005, has said on social media that he was “gutted to hear from the media” about the ban.

“I love being a part of this event, I love celebrating America with my fans all over this great country on the 4th and I have been training to defend my title,” Chestnut said, adding that MLE and Nathan’s decision “will deprive big fans of the usual holiday joy and entertainment.

He said he did not have a contract with MLE or Nathan’s Famous and accused them of “looking to change the rules of years past when it comes to other partners I can work with.”

Asked about Chestnut’s response, MLE President and co-founder George Shea told NPR via email: “I literally don’t know what he’s talking about.” » Nathan’s did not respond to a request for comment.

Impossible seems to be trying to stay out of the beef.

“We love Joey and support him in any competition he chooses,” a company spokesperson said in a statement shared with NPR. “It’s good to experiment with a new dog. Meat eaters shouldn’t limit themselves to just one sausage.

Chestnut has dominated the Nathan competition for years

This is the first time in nearly two decades that Chestnut and his world-famous jaws will not grace the corner of Surf and Stillwell avenues in Coney Island.

Chestnut has dominated the July 4 contest since his first victory in 2007, when he defeated – and sparked a years-long rivalry – with six-time champion Takeru Kobayashi, the so-called “godfather of competitive eating” who announced his retirement earlier this year. year.

Since then, he has consistently won the coveted mustard yellow belt, with the exception of an underdog upset by Matt Stonie in 2015. The number of 56-gram, 6.75-inch hot dogs he has devoured over the years old weighs the equivalent of the average UFC featherweight fighter. (about 142 pounds) and would stack up to more than double the height of the Statue of Liberty, according to ESPN.

Chestnut has not only won the Coney Island competition 16 times, but holds the 10 highest event totals and even earned a Guinness World Record in 2021 for eating 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes.

The 40-year-old actually holds some 55 world records for swallowing a wide range of foods in various competitions over the years, including: hard-boiled eggs (141 in 8 minutes), pastrami (25 sandwiches in 10 minutes) , shrimp. wontons (390 in 8 minutes), grilled cheese sandwiches (47 in 10 minutes), pierogi (165 in 8 minutes), and whole turkeys (9.35 lbs in 10 minutes).

“Joey Chestnut is the biggest eater in history,” reads his MLE “backpack”. “This is not empty editorialism or chatter. This is an empirical fact.

It’s no surprise that other meat brands and eating competitions are vying for Chestnut’s business. Chestnut regularly competes in “unbranded” eating contests at baseball stadiums during the summer season, for example.

MLE said in its statement that it attempted to work with Chestnut toward these goals.

“MLE and Nathan’s have gone to great lengths in recent months to accommodate Joey and his management team, agreeing to an appearance fee and allowing Joey to participate in a rival unbranded hot dog eating contest on the day of Labor Day,” he said.

THE Washington Post reports that the two sides were negotiating Chestnut’s latest contract when he announced he had signed a deal with a “plant-based company,” and officially reached an impasse after refusing to provide an exception that would allow it to represent all Impossible products, with the exception of hot dogs.

There’s a lot of competition – and there’s still time for Chestnut to potentially return

Chestnut’s absence leaves the way clear for a potential hot dog-eating underdog in July.

Stonie, who briefly broke his winning streak almost a decade ago, has not competed in a Nathan’s competition since 2019. All eyes are now on the current world number one. 2 Geoffrey Esper, who finished second in last year’s competition after beating 49 dogs in 10 minutes.

The MLE describes Esper as “a true multidisciplinary eater – as comfortable eating 83 slices of John’s Incredible Pizza in 10 minutes as he is eating 281 Hooters wings in the same amount of time.”

The Massachusetts-based electronics professor told Worcester Telegram said this week that “I definitely have a chance this year” but also named a few contenders to watch, including No. 1 ranked competitive eater Nick Wehry, fifth-ranked James Webb and ninth-ranked Pat Bertoletti.

Two out of four qualifiers remain this season, in California this week and Washington, DC next week. The top men and women from each will compete in the July 4 event, which will be televised on ESPN.

The MLE says it’s not too late for Chestnut to change course and regain his competition eligibility.

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

MLE President Shea told NPR that the ball is now in Chestnut’s court.

In the meantime, Chestnut has no plans to completely hang up his jersey, as he reassured on social media.

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