Joey Chestnut will defend the hot dog eating title on the 4th of July while on probation

Joey Chestnut will be in Coney Island defending his Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4 despite being on probation.

Chestnut pleaded guilty to a battery charge on April 20 and was sentenced to 180 days of probation in Hamilton County, Indiana.

However, “Jaws” was granted permission to travel out of state, allowing him to participate in the event he has won 17 times, including last year, on July 4 in New York City. He had previously petitioned to travel outside of Indiana with the Hot Dog Eating Contest taking place.

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Chestnut, considered one of the best competitive eaters of all time, was accused of punching a man in the face during a night out at an Indiana bar around 10 p.m. 2 a.m. on March 21, according to Us Weekly. He later told authorities he was drunk and did not remember the interaction with the man.

The man also claimed he recognized and approached Chestnut while he was in the bar and shook his hand before he was punched on the left side of the face.

JOEY CHESTNUT sentenced to probation after pleading guilty to getting a man drunk at the bar.

“The accused pulled [the victim] forward, moves closer and uses his right hand to strike [the victim] in the face with an open hand. [The victim] is seen reacting to the attack and moving his head down and holding it there while the defendant stands over him and [his friend],” the officer said in a statement obtained by Us Weekly.[Chestnut] moving towards [the victim] again and [the victim] moving away from the accused.

“The touching was naked, indecent or angry because the open strike was non-consensual to the victim in a way that caused pain, while the accused allegedly used provocative language towards the victim to illicit a response.”

Chestnut’s attorney, Mario Massillamany, said his client took “full responsibility for this misunderstanding,” the outlet reported.

Joey Chestnut wins the men’s competition at Nathan’s Annual Hot Dog Eating Contest in New York City on July 4, 2025. He returned to compete for a 17th win after missing the 2024 event due to a sponsorship dispute with Major League Eating. (Adam Gray/Getty Images)

Chestnut will be going for his 18th title in his last 19 attempts, although he may have had another had Nathan’s not kicked him out of the competition in 2024. He had signed a deal with Nathan’s rival, Impossible Foods, before the competition.

But Chestnut and the organizers of the event found common ground on sponsorships before the 2025 competition.

He went on to consume 70.5 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes.

Joey Chestnut grabs a protester by the neck who interrupted the 2022 Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, New York City on July 4, 2022. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)

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Now that he’s locked into the contest, Chestnut should be the overwhelming favorite. He is also coming off a win in the 2026 Ultimate Bologna Showdown in Tennessee, winning the event three years in a row now. Chestnut ate 16 pounds of sausage in eight minutes, setting a new world record.