Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef — Who won between Joey Chestnut and Kobayashi?

Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef brought two of the most legendary figures in competitive eating head-to-head after a 15-year hiatus. This highly anticipated showdown, co-hosted by Rob Riggle and Nikki Garcia, was streamed live on Netflix on Monday, September 2, 2024.

Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi competed again at the HyperX Arena in Las Vegas to eat the most hot dogs in 10 minutes. Everyone's simple concern was: who would win between Joey Chestnut and Kobayashi? Joey Chestnut won a fierce 10-minute contest, confirming his supremacy in competitive eating.

The 16-time Nathan's hot dog eating champion set a new world record by eating an incredible 83 hot dogs and defeated long-time rival Takeru Kobayashi, who ate 66 hot dogs.

Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef is not just a contest but a resolution to a long-standing rivalry. Chestnut and Kobayashi had not entered a hot dog eating contest since 2009. The game was about clearing unresolved business and deciding the actual champion between the two, not only about statistics.

---

Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef — The showdown

Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef was the highlight of Monday evening, with Chestnut and Kobayashi battling it out one last time. Both eaters rapidly devoured hot dogs at an amazing pace as the contest started.

Chestnut had eaten 25 hot dogs by the two-minute mark, while Kobayashi had knocked down 31. But by the five-minute mark, the tide started to change, Chestnut dragging ahead at 51 hot dogs against Kobayashi's 45. Despite fierce competition, Chestnut's experience and will proved too much for Kobayashi.

---

Chestnut breaks his own record

Poster of Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef (Image via Netflix)

Joey Chestnut broke his previous world record of 76 hot dogs by eating an incredible 83 hot dogs in just 10 minutes. Unfinished Beef presented the best of competitive eating, and Chestnut pushed his boundaries to reach what he had been aiming for years.

Kobayashi, a six-time Nathan's hot dog eating champion, fell short. Kobayashi gave it his all but couldn't match Chestnut's pace and finished the contest with 66 hot dogs—a personal best but insufficient to declare success.

---

The aftermath

After the contest, both competitors shared their thoughts. Chestnut expressed his admiration for Kobayashi, acknowledging that his rival had always been the one to push him to new heights.

“I’ve been trying to hit 80 hot dogs for years, and without Kobayashi, I was never able to do it. He drives me. We weren't always nice to each other, but I love what he can do. We push each other to be our best," Chestnut shared.

Speaking through an interpreter, Kobayashi reflected on his performance and the end of an era of competitive eating.

“I feel like I did everything I could,” Kobayashi positively responded after the defeat.

---

The rule of the game

The rules of Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef were straightforward. Every competitor had ten minutes to consume as many hot dogs and buns as possible. They couldn't separate the buns from the franks or dunk water on the hot dogs. Penalties were imposed for excess crumbs or regurgitation, ensuring the contest was a true test of speed and endurance.

---

Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef was the result of years of rivalry, respect, and the unrelenting quest for excellence. Joey Chestnut, now clearly the best competitive eater of all time, finished the beef with a new world record.

Though defeated, Kobayashi stays a legend in his own right since he cleared the path for competitive eating. This contest will be regarded as a turning point in the history of the sport, where two giants squared off their unresolved conflict one last time.