Joey Chestnut working on returning to competition after ban
After a controversial absence in 2024, Joey Chestnut may soon be back where he belongs. The 16-time Nathan's champion, widely known as 'Jaws,' is currently in active talks with Major League Eating and contest organizers to rejoin the legendary Fourth of July competition. According to TMZ Sports, both sides are motivated to bring Chestnut back to Coney Island this summer.
Advertisement
Fans were vocal about their disappointment last year, when Chestnut was banned from competing due to his deal with Impossible Foods, a rival to Nathan's. In his absence, Patrick Bertoletti took the title by eating 58 hot dogs in 10 minutes. While that win put Bertoletti in rare company, even he acknowledged the result felt incomplete without Chestnut. Since 2001, only four men have claimed victory at Nathan's and Chestnut owns 16 of those championships. His dominance is unmatched.
Chestnut, for his part, didn't sit on the sidelines quietly. He traveled to Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, where he staged a rapid-fire eating event against a team of Army soldiers. He ate 57 hot dogs in just five minutes, nearly matching Bertoletti's total in half the time. That event wasn't just a display of skill — it also raised $106,000 for Operation Homefront thanks to a joint effort between Chestnut and Impossible Foods.
Not Done Yet
Chestnut has made it clear that his heart remains with the Nathan's contest. 'I really didn't think my relationship with Impossible would affect anything with Nathan's,' he said in an interview with The Blast. He emphasized his love for the competition and expressed a willingness to return if the organizers were open to it. Based on current talks, that return appears increasingly likely.
Advertisement
While Nathan's went on without him, Chestnut stayed in peak form. In September, he faced longtime rival Takeru Kobayashi in a Netflix special titled Unfinished Beef. Joey Chestnut crushed 83 hot dogs to Kobayashi's 66, setting a new high-water mark for eating contests.
If talks finalize, Chestnut's return would not just be about reclaiming a title. It would be a full-circle moment, a reminder of why he became the face of competitive eating in the first place. July 4 is about America's independence, but in this corner of the sports world, it might also be about watching the greatest to ever do it step back into the spotlight.
Related: Bill Belichick stands firm on Jordon Hudson's lack of involvement with North Carolina football
Related: How Donald Trump helped Coco Gauff win French Open
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Yankees' Aaron Judge still has ‘no idea' when he will return to outfield
The post Yankees' Aaron Judge still has 'no idea' when he will return to outfield appeared first on ClutchPoints. Aaron Judge is back in the New York Yankees' lineup, but his defensive return is still uncertain. The two-time AL MVP admitted this week that he has 'no idea' when he'll be ready to play right field again after suffering a right flexor tendon strain in late July. The injury kept Judge on the 10-day injured list until August 5th, when he returned as the designated hitter. NY Daily News Sports reporter Gary Phillips posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, an exchange where Judge mixed humor with uncertainty about his timetable, reflecting both his competitive mindset and the unknowns surrounding his return. Judge has been able to swing the bat, even launching a home run in the Yankees' 9-1 win over the Minnesota Twins Tuesday, but his inability to play the field limits lineup flexibility. Without the slugger in right, manager Aaron Boone has leaned more on Giancarlo Stanton, who is better suited for a DH role. That shift removes the option of giving other players rest days at DH, affecting the overall balance of the lineup. Defensively, the club loses one of the best gloves in the sport. Judge's arm strength, range, and steady presence are nearly impossible to replace, especially during a tight AL playoff race where defensive efficiency could determine whether they secure home-field advantage or travel for a Wild Card series. The team has been cautious, starting the outfielder's throwing program on August 6th, but Boone has already ruled him out of playing the field in the current series underway vs. the Minnesota Twins. A potential return to right field could come during the upcoming road trip to face the St. Louis Cardinals if his elbow responds well. Headed into Wednesday's action, the Bronx Bombers sit third in the American League East at 64-56, six games behind the Toronto Blue Jays and just 1.5 back of the Boston Red Sox. Their home dominance (.607 win percentage) contrasts with a weak road record (.458), and a 4-6 record over the last 10 games has slowed their climb. With 42 games remaining, every series against division opponents carries heightened importance. If Judge returns to full defensive duties in the next few weeks, it would give Boone's roster both a morale boost and increased tactical options. But if his absence in right field stretches into September, the Yankees will have to navigate the final weeks of the season without their best all-around player in the field—an obstacle that could influence both their playoff seeding and postseason performance. For fans, these injury updates on the 6-foot-7 slugger are more than just medical news—they are tied directly to hopes of a deep October run. Until he's cleared, the team will rely on his bat and hope his elbow recovers as soon as possible. Related: Pohlad family not selling Twins after all, but there's a catch Related: Giants' Bob Melvin did not hide frustration after 5-1 loss to Padres
Fox News
2 hours ago
- Fox News
Ivanka Trump re-enters DC ring for upcoming knockout UFC White House fight
Print Close By Emma Colton Published August 14, 2025 First daughter Ivanka Trump is helping facilitate the highly anticipated White House UFC fight as the Trump administration prepares to roll out patriotic events celebrating the nation's 250th anniversary of independence in 2026. "Ivanka is a longtime fan of UFC and is honored to help Dana White create an exciting event celebrating a sport beloved by so many Americans, as part of our country's 250th celebration," a source close to Ivanka Trump told Fox News Digital this week. The first daughter, who is a student of jiu-jitsu, will not take any official job or role for the event but is instead facilitating its planning, Fox News Digital has learned. President Donald Trump first announced in July a UFC fight would be held at the White House, as the nation prepared to celebrate Independence Day. DANA WHITE REITERATES THAT UFC WHITE HOUSE FIGHTS ARE 'ABSOLUTELY GOING TO HAPPEN' "Every one of our national parks, battlefields and historic sites are going to have special events in honor of 'America250,' and I even think we're going to have a UFC fight," Trump said in a speech at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on the eve of the Fourth of July . "Does anybody watch UFC? The great Dana White?" he continued. "We're going to have a UFC fight. We're going to have a UFC fight — think of this — on the grounds of the White House. We have a lot of land there." Trump ally and UFC CEO Dana White declared in August that the fight at the White House is "absolutely going to happen," previewing that it would be held in honor of the 250th anniversary of America's independence, July 4, 2026. UFC'S DANA WHITE HINTS THAT RECENTLY RETIRED JON JONES, CONOR MCGREGOR COULD RETURN FOR WHITE HOUSE FIGHTS "Think about that, the 250th birthday of the United States of America, the UFC will be on the White House South Lawn live on CBS," White told the Associated Press Wednesday. "This is a one-of-one event," he added. TRUMP SAYS UFC FIGHT WILL TAKE PLACE ON WHITE HOUSE GROUNDS White promised "the baddest card of all time" during a recent podcast appearance, confirming that Jon Jones, who retired in June and celebrated a recent victory by dancing like Trump, had gone back into the drug-testing pool ahead of the 2026 fight. "Everybody wants to fight on this card. Literally everybody," White told the "Full Send Podcast" in July. TRUMP'S UFC 316 APPEARANCE DRAWS MASSIVE OVATION IN NEW JERSEY, FIGHTER CELEBRATES WITH HIM AFTER WIN White first previewed Ivanka Trump's involvement with planning the White House UFC fight, telling CBS in August that the president wanted his daughter involved. "When (Trump) called me and asked me to do it, he said, 'I want Ivanka in the middle of this,'" White told CBS Mornings Tuesday. "So, Ivanka reached out to me, and her and I started talking about the possibilities, where it would be and, you know, I put together all the renderings." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Ivanka Trump served as a senior advisor to President Trump during his first administration but has kept out of the political spotlight since then. Fox News Digital's Ryan Morik and Jackson Thompson contributed to this report. Print Close URL
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Taylor Swift to appear on Travis Kelce's New Heights podcast
The post Taylor Swift to appear on Travis Kelce's New Heights podcast appeared first on ClutchPoints. It's official, Taylor Swift is taking her career to new heights — literally! The 14-time Grammy winner will be appearing on Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce's New Heights podcast on Wednesday, the podcast announced on Monday (Aug. 11). 'Taylor's about to do a f–king podcast,' the podcast posted with a clip of the couple recording the episode. The New Heights podcast confirmed Swift's appearance with a short video posted across its social channels. In the preview, Swift compliments Travis who is wearing a blue sweater. 'It's the color of your eyes, sweetie—that's why we match so well,' Travis says to Swift whom he's been dating since 2023. 'OMG I'M GAGGED,' one fan reacted. 'Nice touch that this clip is 13 seconds,' one fan noticed, referencing the singer's favorite number. 'He called her sweetie live I cannot f—ing breathe,' another fan wrote. The podcast first teased a silhouette of the guest, writing, '92%ers, we're coming back early for a special episode with a VERY special guest. New episode Wednesday 7PM ET,' the post read. Fans immediately flocked to the comments, guessing it was the singer. 'No pressure but if you wanted you can drop the ep early. no worries if not though,' Walmart wrote in the comment section. 'YALL WEARING TAYLOR SHIRTS. The background is sparkly orange. Oh my god,' one fan wrote, where it seemingly shows the brothers in Taylor attire. Another fan added, 'I know that shirt anywhere,' with a photo of the alleged Swift merch. One fan even threatened the podcast sharing that they'll be disappointed if the singer is not revealed as the special guest, 'If it's not Taylor, i'm blocking you all.' In addition to the fan's suspicions of the singer being a guest, Swift's social media team also gave a slight hint to a new era approaching. 'Thinking about when she said 'See you next era…'' the caption said alongside an array of orange looks from her record-breaking Eras Tour. Orange is rumored to be the color of her next era and is also seen in the background of the New Heights podcast guest announcement. The episodes date was also a clue as its dropping on August 13, and 13 is Swift's lucky number. Is Taylor Swift teasing new music? With just one clip, its hard to predict what Swift exactly will be spilling on the episode but besides more into the love life between she and the Kansas City Chiefs tight end, fans want more music. Swifties have been speculating for the past year that the singer would be announcing the re-recording of her Reputation album. However, when the singer announced that she now owns the masters of her first six albums — which includes Reputation — she shared that she hadn't started recording and that Reputation and her self-titled album will 'have their moment to re-emerge when the time is right, if that is something you guys would be excited about.' 'But if it happens, it won't be from a place of sadness and longing for what I wish I could have. It will just be a celebration now.' Last year, a source told Us Weekly that 'she'll get to work on a new album and is talking about hitting the road again—albeit on a smaller scale than the Eras Tour—in 2026.' Related: Jordon Hudson claps back at podcaster for criticism Related: Will Taylor Swift appear on Travis Kelce's New Heights podcast? Solve the daily Crossword
