The world of competitive eating is in an uproar after a defiant Takeru Kobayashi unofficially broke the hot dog eating world record. Kobayashi is a six-time champion at Nathan’s Famous annual Fourth of July hot dog eating competition on Coney Island. However he’s been barred by Major League Eating, the body that sanctions the event, since 2010 due to contract disputes. Fans and judges watched Kobayashi chomp down hot dogs alongside the official competitors, displayed on a big screen.
Kobayashi finished with 69 hot dogs in 10 minutes while his archrival, Joey Chestnut, won the official Coney Island competition with just 62 dogs. Chestnut broke the official world record when he consumed 68 wieners in 2009.
Major League Eating President George Shea called Kobayashi’s performance a farce and said “the champion of the world is crowned in Coney Island. Always has been, always will be.”
