Joey Chestnut lashes out Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest as he hosts rival 4th of July event at Texas Army post after being banned from official competition

After breaking up with Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog-eating contest in New York, competitive eater Joey Chestnut is rebounding by hosting his own hot-dog eating contest against soldiers in Texas. 

Chestnut will be live-streaming himself taking on soldiers at Fort Bliss Army Post in El Paso, Texas at 3:30 p.m. mountain time, according to Fort Bliss.

For the first time in 19 years, Chestnut will not be taking part in the Brooklyn 10-minute hot dog eating fest that he won 16 times and is the reigning champion.

Instead, the top competitive eater in the world will face off against soldiers in a five-minute hot dog eating contest. 

For nearly two decades, Chestnut had been a part of the Coney Island tradition at Nathan's, however, he had a falling out with organizers earlier this year.

In June, the top dog of eating claimed he had been banned from Nathan's after accepting a sponsorship with Vegan hot dog manufacturer, Impossible Foods.

'I was gutted to learn from the media that after 19 years Im banned from the Nathan's July 4th Hot Dog Eating Contest,' Chestnut said in a post to Twitter.

'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.

'To set the record straight, I do not have a contract with MLE or Nathans and they are looking to change the rules from past years as it relates to other partners I can work with. 

'This is apparently the basis on which I’m being banned, and it doesn’t impact the July 4th event.

'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. 

'To my fans, I love you and appreciate you. Rest assured that you’ll see me eat again soon!! STAY HUNGRY!'

Major League Eating's contradicted Chestnut's version, according to  NBC News.

'There is no ban. Major League Eating wants him there. The fans want him there. Nathan's wants him there,' Richard Shea of MLE told the network.

'We are devastated to learn that Joey Chestnut has chosen to represent a rival brand that sells plant-based hot dogs rather than competing in the 2024 Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest,' read a statement from Major League Eating (MLE), which sanctions the event. 

'MLE and Nathan's went to great lengths to accommodate Joey and his management team, agreeing to the appearance fee and allowing Joey to compete in a rival, unbranded hot dog eating contest on Labor Day. 

'Joey Chestnut is an American hero. We would love nothing more than to have him at the Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest, which he has dominated for years. We hope that he returns when he is not representing a rival brand.'

The fallout cost Chestnut a lot of dough, as he was reportedly paid $200,000 to appear at last year's contest, and was even offered a $1.2 million, four-year deal beginning this year.

Ultimately, Chestnut felt compelled to honor his unspecified agreement with Impossible Foods.

Chestnut has been eating competitively since 2005 and has been devouring the competition ever since.

His record of 76 hot dogs eaten at the 2021 Nathan's competition remains the most eaten competitively around the world.