When Nathan's hot dog eating contest refiused to let long time champ Joey Chestnut participate, Netflix stepped in and yesterday he and his longtime nemesis Takeru Kobayashi went head-to-head in a hot dog eating contest for the first time in 15 years ... with Joey winning in a landslide and setting a record in the process.
The rivals matched up Monday on 'Unfinished Beef,' a Netflix special live from Las Vegas, and stuffed their faces full of wieners and buns ... with a huge crowd cheering them on.
Joey cruised to victory ... leading all the way. When the 10-minute timer expired, Joey's total sat at 83 hot dogs ... compared to a final tally of 66 for Kobayahsi. It's a new world record for Joey ... who took home a hot dog trophy and a wrestling belt, along with bragging rights over Kobayashi.
The showdown was 15 years in the making ... Joey and Kobayashi last went at it way back in 2009 at the traditional Nathan's competition in Coney Island ... when Jaws beat Kobayashi to defend his mustard belt. Joey pocketed a cool $100,000.
Chestnut makes an estimated $250,000 to $500,000 per year in competitive eating challenges and via sponsorship deals. He also has his own line of condiments for hot dogs, brats, sausages, wings and sandwiches.
“I’ve been trying to hit 80 hot dogs for years, and without Kobayashi I was never able to do it,’’ Chestnut said the feast feat. “He drives me. We weren’t always nice to each other, but I love the way we push each other to be our best.”
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