Competitive eating legend Joey Chestnut broke the record for most hot dogs eaten in 10 minutes during a Labor Day match-up against long-time rival Takeru Kobayashi on Monday.
The event, titled “Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef,” was live-streamed on Netflix and featured the two living legends facing off in a competitive eating match for the first time in 15 years.
Chestnut defeated Kobayashi, who he previously described as his “fiercest rival,” by eating a world record 83 hot dogs during the 10-minute match. Kobayashi finished with only 66 hot dogs eaten during the same period, according to Netflix.
One of the most impactful portions of the event was a rule dictating that the eaters were not allowed to dunk the hot dogs in water before eating them, which has become one of Chestnut’s most well-known techniques during his time competing.
However, this rule change clearly did little to affect Chestnut as he cruised to victory and said he might even adopt a new strategy moving forward.
“When I first heard the rules about no dunking, I was really worried, but then I learned how to eat them like this,” he said after his victory, per NPR.
“And any other hot dog contest I do, I’m going to eat some of them without dunking — this was amazing,” he said.
Chestnut took a significant lead by the halfway point of the match, putting up 51 to Kobayashi’s 44. His record-breaking 77th hot dog was clocked with just over one minute remaining in the competition.
As the winner of this historical match-up, Chestnut was granted a $100,000 prize, a one-of-a-kind golden hot dog statue, and a WWE championship belt presented by professional wrestlers Rey Mysterio and Omos.
Chestnut said after the match that he appreciates Kobayashi’s presence in his life and career because it has forced him to improve as an eater, citing the long history between the two rivals.
“I’ve been trying to hit 80 hot dogs for years, and without Kobayashi, I was never able to,” he said, per Fox News.
“He drives me. We weren’t always nice to each other, but we push each other to be our best,” he said.
The match-up came shortly after Chestnut was banned from the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest that took place on the Fourth of July due to his signing with the vegan food company Impossible Foods, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Chestnut and Kobayashi, who himself was banned from the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest in 2010 over a contract dispute, quickly pivoted and came to terms with Netflix to compete on Labor Day.
Leading into Monday’s competition between the two legends, Kobayashi came out victorious in two match-ups, while Chestnut had a slight edge after winning three times, per NBC News.
Now, Chestnut has emerged as the clear winner with four wins over Kobayashi, claiming the title in the most recent and likely final match-up between the two.
