It was weird not seeing him there in 2024. Like a 4th of July without fireworks or a barbecue where someone forgot the charcoal. But the winner of Nathan's hot dog eating contest in 2025 made sure everyone knew the king was back. Joey "Jaws" Chestnut didn't just win; he basically reminded the world that the "Mustard Belt" is practically part of his permanent wardrobe.
Honestly, the tension at Coney Island this past July was thick. People weren't just there for the salt and the spectacle. They wanted to see if the year-long ban—sparked by that whole Impossible Foods plant-based sponsorship drama—had actually slowed him down.
Spoiler: It hadn’t.
The Return of Joey Chestnut: 17 Titles and Counting
Chestnut put down 70.5 hot dogs and buns in ten minutes.
Think about that for a second. That is seven hot dogs a minute. Most of us struggle to finish three at a backyard party without needing a nap and some Tums. He didn't break his personal world record of 76, which he set back in 2021, but he didn't really need to. He won by a massive margin.
The runner-up, Patrick Bertoletti, who actually won the title in 2024 while Joey was sidelined, finished with 46.5. That’s a 24-dog gap. In the world of competitive eating, that’s not just a win; it’s a total demolition.
James Webb took third with 45.5. It was close for second place, but nobody was even in the same zip code as Joey.
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Why the 2025 Win Felt Different
Usually, the contest feels like a foregone conclusion. But coming off the Netflix special where Joey faced his old rival Takeru Kobayashi on Labor Day 2024—and set an unofficial world record of 83 dogs (without water dunking!)—the stakes felt higher. Joey had something to prove to the Major League Eating (MLE) officials.
He looked nervous at the start. He even admitted to fumbling the first few franks. But once he found that rhythm—the "shure-method" of breaking the dogs in half and dunking the buns—it was over.
Miki Sudo: The Undefeated Queen
We can’t talk about the winner of Nathan's hot dog eating contest without talking about the absolute legend that is Miki Sudo.
While the media focuses a lot on Joey, Sudo has been quietly (well, maybe not quietly) building one of the most dominant streaks in all of sports. She won her 11th Pink Belt in 2025.
She ate 33 hot dogs and buns.
Now, if you’re a stat nerd, you’ll notice that’s a big drop from her 2024 record of 51. After the timer hit zero, she was pretty candid about it. She mentioned the buns felt "larger" or "more filling" than usual. It sounds like a weird excuse, but in competitive eating, the density of the bread changes everything. If the hydration isn't perfect, the bread expands in your throat like a sponge.
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2025 Women’s Top Finishers
- Miki Sudo: 33
- Michelle Lesco: 22.75
- Domenica Dee: 21.5
Sudo has won every single year she’s competed since 2014. The only reason she doesn’t have 12 straight is that she took 2021 off because she was pregnant. That is some Tiger Woods in his prime type of dominance.
The Controversy That Almost Ruined It
If you’re wondering why Joey was gone in the first place, it’s basically a business lesson gone wrong.
Joey signed a deal with Impossible Foods. Nathan’s Famous has a strict "exclusivity" thing. They basically told the greatest eater of all time he couldn't play if he was promoting "fake" meat. The fans hated it. The internet exploded.
Eventually, cooler heads prevailed. Or, more likely, the ratings for the 2024 contest without Joey were a wake-up call for the organizers. They needed their star. By the time July 4, 2025, rolled around, the "ban" was a memory, and Joey was back on the stage under the scorching Brooklyn sun.
What Most People Get Wrong About Competitive Eating
People think it’s just about having a big stomach. It’s not.
It’s about jaw strength. It’s about stomach elasticity. These athletes (and yes, they are athletes in their own weird way) spend months stretching their stomachs with massive amounts of water and low-calorie fiber like cabbage.
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If you try to do what the winner of Nathan's hot dog eating contest does without training, you will get hurt. Your body has a "stop" signal for a reason. Eaters like Chestnut and Sudo have spent decades learning how to ignore that signal while staying safe.
What’s Next for the Mustard Belt?
Joey is already talking about 2026. He’s obsessed with the number 80. After hitting 83 on the Netflix special with Kobayashi, he knows his body can handle it. The Coney Island environment is tougher, though. The humidity on the pier is brutal, and the crowd is loud.
If you want to keep up with the world of competitive eating, here is what you should actually watch for:
- The "Bun Factor": Watch the humidity reports on July 4. If it's humid, the buns get "gummy," and the scores go down.
- The Next Generation: Keep an eye on James Webb. The guy from Australia is moving up the rankings fast and is currently the biggest threat to the "old guard."
- Regional Qualifiers: Most people don't realize you have to win a local contest just to get to the big stage. If you're ever near a qualifying event, go. It’s way more intense in person.
The 2025 contest proved that while the faces might change slightly, the names at the top stay the same. Joey and Miki are the pillars of the sport. For now, the Mustard Belt stays exactly where it’s been for most of the last two decades.
Actionable Insight: If you're interested in the logistics of these events, check out the official Major League Eating rankings. They track everything from matzo balls to chicken wings. Just don't try the "water dunking" method at your next family reunion—it’s a great way to ruin a perfectly good hot dog and your shirt.