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Netflix released a trailer Tuesday for the upcoming, one-on-one hot dog eating competition between Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi.
Entitled Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef, the event will stream live on Netflix on Labor Day, which is Sept. 2, at 3 p.m. ET.
Chestnut and Kobayashi are unquestionably the two greatest male performers in the history of the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, which is held annually on July 4.
Chestnut has won the event a record 16 times, while Kobayashi is second on the list with six wins, which happened consecutively from 2001 to 2006.
Kobayashi barely defeated Chestnut in the 2006 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, but Chestnut took him down the following year, which fueled one of the biggest rivalries in competitive eating history.
Chestnut beat Kobayashi again in 2008 and 2009, but due to a contract dispute, Kobayashi did not compete in the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest in 2010, and he would never return to the event again.
After years of dominating the beloved Independence Day competition, Chestnut experienced a similar situation this year.
Just weeks before the 2024 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest was set to be held this summer, Major League Eating announced that the legendary Chestnut would not be competing due to his association with a competing hot dog brand.
Chestnut signed a partnership deal with Impossible Foods, causing a conflict of interests with Nathan’s.
In a statement, Chestnut expressed disappointment over not being able to compete, saying:
“I love competing in that event, I love celebrating America with my fans all over this great country on the 4th and I have been training to defend my title. … Sadly, this is the decision Nathan’s and Major League Eating are making, and it will deprive the great fans of the holiday’s usual joy and entertainment.”
Per Josh Peter of USA Today, the 2024 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest’s ratings dropped significantly compared to previous years, as it drew 831,000 viewers after bringing in about one million viewers in both 2022 and 2023.
Netflix is banking on Chestnut’s drawing power for its special event on Sept. 2, as well as the intrigue surrounding the fact that it will be the first head-to-head competition between him and Kobayashi in 15 years.