Miki Sudo wins 2025 women's Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest despite struggles

It was another banner day in Coney Island as Miki Sudo won the 2025 Women’s Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest with 33 hot dogs consumed. She however did not come close to breaking the all-time women’s record (51) set by her in 2024.

Michelle Lesco and Domenica Dee tied for second in the competition, eating 22 hot dogs each.

Although her numbers were down, Sudo further established herself as the GOAT of the women’s contest. It was her 11th “Pink Belt” at Coney Island.

“I feel like I let the fans down a little,” Sudo said after the performance. “I heard people in the crowd saying ‘go for 52’ and obviously I’m always setting my goals high but you know the hot dogs just weren’t cooperating. For some reason, the buns felt larger today.”

The Women’s Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest separated from the men in 2011, marking the first time it happened since a one-off in 1975.

Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas won the first three women’s belts before Sudo began her dominant reign. Sudo has now won every year from 2014 through 2025, sans the 2021 competition, won by Michelle Lesco.

In 2021, Sudo did not compete due to her pregnancy. But when she returned in 2022, she consumed 40 hot dogs, 9.25 more than Lesco’s winning total the previous year.

Miki Sudo wins Women’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

While it was a great event nonetheless, this year’s competition was overshadowed by the return of Joey Chestnut, the perceived GOAT of eating. He’ll look to regain the Mustard Belt for the 17th time at noon on ESPN2.

Chestnut partnered with “Impossible Foods” and amid an apparent ban and dispute, he did not compete last year. Instead, he took part in Fort Bliss‘ Pop Goes the Fort event, where he downed 57 hot dogs in five minutes. He was thrust into the public spotlight once again last September, when he clashed with infamous rival Takeru Kobayashi in Netflix‘s “Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef” event. He downed 83 hot dogs to Kobayashi’s 63, taking home the win.

Chestnut said last year he was hopeful things would get worked out before last year’s competition, but clearly, that did not happen. However, things did eventually work out and the 16-time champion will be looking to take his crown back this year.

His friend Patrick Bertoletti won last year’s event after eating 58 hot dogs, a mark Chestnut has beaten 16 times.

A report from the New York Post also said Chestnut received a four-year, $1.2 million offer to continue participating in the Nathan’s contest – which he has won 16 times in 17 years. Chestnut holds the world record of downing 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes and won the 2023 event with 62.