Joey Chestnut won for the 15th time at the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest on Monday. While he did not break his own record, the performance may have been his most impressive ever for other reasons.
An apparent animal rights activist ran onto the stage in Coney Island and briefly stood next to Chestnut during the competition holding a sign that read “Expose Smithfield’s Deathstar.” In the middle of gobbling down one of the 63 hot dogs and buns he ate, Chestnut put the man in a chokehold and slammed him to the ground.
You can see another angle below:
Chestnut also dealt with a serious injury leading up to and during the Hot Dog Eating Contest. Between that and the protestor he manhandled, the 38-year-old continues to make the case that competitive eaters are true athletes.
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