Joey Chestnut to defend hot dog eating title while on probation after pleading guilty to battery

NOBLESVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Competitive eater Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, the reigning champion and 17-time winner of Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest, will compete in the July 4 spectacle while on probation after he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor battery charge.

Chestnut entered the guilty plea April 20 and was sentenced to 180 days of probation in Hamilton County, Indiana. A judge has granted him permission to travel outside the state, allowing Chestnut to defend his title and the signature Mustard Belt on Coney Island this summer.

The competitive eating sensation was accused of slapping a man across the face during a late night out at an Indiana bar, according to Us Weekly. When law enforcement later questioned Chestnut, he said he was drunk and didn’t remember the altercation, the publication reported.

Chestnut’s attorney, Mario Massillamany, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Richard Shea, the co-founder and president of Major League Eating, which oversees the Nathan’s Famous contest, told The Associated Press that the altercation did not affect Chestnut’s competition eligibility.

“This incident did not violate Major League Eating’s code of conduct, as it occurred outside any organizational event or activity and it was addressed by local authorities,” Shea said.

At the Nathan’s Famous contest last year, Chestnut took back the title by eating 70 1/2 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes after he missed the 2024 contest due to a competing sponsorship. Nathan’s had temporarily banned him from competing after he signed an endorsement deal with the plant-based meat company Impossible Foods.

Chestnut most recently won the 2026 Ultimate Bologna Showdown in Tennessee for the third straight year, consuming 16 pounds of sausage in 8 minutes to set a new world record.