Takeru Kobayashi didn’t compete for the Nathan’s Hot Dogs Mustard Belt at Coney Island on July 4. Instead, he competed via satellite from a rooftop bar in Manhattan.
Meanwhile, Mustard Belt owner Joey Chestnut did compete at Coney Island and put down 62 hot dogs in 10 minutes while defending his title for the fifth year.
After some controversy as to how many hot dogs Kobayashi ate — he claimed to eat 69, one better than Chestnut’s world record of 68 — Chestnut let his feelings about the once dominant digester be heard.
“It wasn’t a competition,” Chestnut said to NBC Sports’ Rick Chandler about Kobayashi’s solo performance. “It was him just eating. I’ve done 71 in practice by myself.
“It’s his choice not to be here. He could have signed the same contract he signed three years (ago). It’s sad that he thinks he’s Kobe Bryant. This is competitive eating. It’s supposed to be fun.”
Kobayashi refused to sign a contract with Major League Eating prior to the contest because it would prevent him from competing in other events unrelated to MLE. Got to make a living somehow.
