17-time Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest champion Joey Chestnut recently pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery over a bar fight. This means he will be on probation for the 4th of July, when they will hold the 2026 edition of the annual contest.
According to Us Weekly, while out at an Indiana bar in March, the 42-year-old competitive eater allegedly hit a man with his open hand after the man recognized him and approached him.
The victim told police that on March 21, shortly before two in the morning, Joey Chestnut “slapped him” on the left side of his face with an open right hand while he and a friend were at Joe’s Grill. Chestnut, according to an affidavit, then allegedly told the victim’s friend, “Look, your buddy’s mad.”
Police reported that after viewing security footage, they saw Joey Chestnut pull the victim forward, “moves closer, and uses his right hand to strike [the victim] on the face with an open hand.”
“[The victim] is observed reacting to the strike and moving his head downward and holding it there while the accused stands over him and [his friend],” the police continued in their report. “[Chestnut] moves toward [the victim] again and [the victim] moves away from the accused.”
Joey Chestnut admitted that he was ‘pretty drunk’
Joey Chestnut allegedly told police the next day that he was “pretty drunk and didn’t remember” the incident.
Court records show that the court approved Chestnut’s petition to travel outside of Indiana, the state where the altercation occurred and where he currently resides. Chestnut said in a statement to USA Today that he has “no restrictions.”
“My client took full responsibility for this misunderstanding and resolved the matter by pleading guilty to a lesser-included offense of Class B misdemeanor battery, one of the lowest-level misdemeanor offenses under Indiana law,” Joey Chestnut’s attorney Mario Massillamany said in a statement to the New York Post.
“The resolution of the case, including a sentence of six months of probation, reflects what this incident truly was — an isolated misunderstanding rather than anything more serious. We appreciate the professionalism of the parties involved in reaching a fair and appropriate outcome.”
Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest issued a statement
“Joey is not going to be penalized or barred from participating in this year’s Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest,” a Nathan’s spokesperson told Front Office Sports. “This incident has nothing to do with Nathan’s.”
The Nathan’s spokesperson added: “My feeling is this incident will in no way affect Joey’s ability to compete. Every July 4th Joey tries to shatter his own world record, and this year will be no different.”