The world of competitive eating is set for a thrilling showdown on September 2, streaming live on Netflix.
Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: The Event Details
This epic contest between Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi will happen at the HyperX Arena in Las Vegas, located at the Luxor Hotel and Casino. Tune in to Netflix at 12 p.m. PT / 3 p.m. ET to witness the event. They even gave a sneak peek of the rivalry on August 19 during their appearance on The Today Show.
Joey Chestnut: The Champion
Hailing from San Jose, California, Chestnut holds an impressive 55 world records in competitive eating. He once ate 76 hot dogs in just 10 minutes!
“Through all of my years in competitive eating, Kobayashi stands out as my fiercest rival,” Chestnut said. “Competing against him pushed me to be so much better. I know that fans have waited a long time for another chapter of our rivalry and I can’t wait for our massive showdown live on Netflix! It’s time to give the people what they want!”
Takeru Kobayashi: The Legend
Kobayashi, known as the “godfather of competitive eating,” made waves in 2001 by doubling the previous hot dog eating record. He won Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest six times in a row from 2001 to 2006.
Rumors about his retirement have swirled, but Kobayashi says otherwise: “Retiring for me will only happen after I take him down one last time,” Kobayashi told Netflix. “This rivalry has been brewing for a long time. Competing against Joey live on Netflix means fans all over the world can watch me knock him out.”
The Long-Standing Rivalry
The fierce competition between Chestnut and Kobayashi has been a major highlight at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest for years. Their last face-off was in 2009 when Chestnut emerged victorious in a five-hot dog “sudden death” eat-off. Now, after 15 years, they will meet again on September 2.
Fans are really excited to see this long-awaited rematch.
Netflix is not stopping there with sports events. Following this showdown, you can look forward to the Netflix Cup, the Netflix Slam, and even a boxing match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson on November 15. Starting in 2025, WWE Raw will stream every week on Netflix, and NFL games will air on Christmas from 2024 to 2026.
To catch up on their history, watch 30 for 30: The Good, The Bad, The Hungry on Netflix.