Joey Chestnut announced that he will not be competing in this year’s Nathan’s Famous hot dog eating contest and his relationship with Major League Eating appears to be over. Via twitter:

I was gutted to learn from the media that after 19 years Im banned from the Nathan’s July 4th Hot Dog Eating Contest. I love competing in that event, I love celebrating America with my fans all over this great country on the 4th and I have been training to defend my title. To set the record straight, I do not have a contract with MLE or Nathans and they are looking to change the rules from past years as it relates to other partners I can work with.This is apparently the basis on which I’m being banned, and it doesn’t impact the July 4th event. Sadly, this is the decision Nathan’s and Major League Eating are making, and it will deprive the great fans of the holiday’s usual joy and entertainment. To my fans, I love you and appreciate you. Rest assured that you’ll see me eat again soon!! STAY HUNGRY!

According to the New York Post, Joey Chestnut’s endorsement deal with Impossible Foods for plant-based frankfurters for $1.2 million over four years was the cause of the breakdown of the relationship. (MLE statement).

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6 hours after the competition, the MLE twitter has yet to post a winner, but the MLE instagram has some results on its stories
49.5 Geoff Esper
31 George Chiger
28 Kylan Lee (Australia)
20 Josh Krady
17.5 Mark Frost

6.75 Julie Goldberg
4.75 Addison Skaggs

update Geoff Esper (49.5) and Julie Goldberg (6.75) were today’s winners via the Lake Compounce instagram stories

Geoff Esper, George Chiger, Josh Krady and Julie Goldberg are expected to compete in this afternoon’s Nathan’s qualifier at Lake Compounce in Bristol, CT.

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update PiZetta Media has a video of the contest

Full results: (8 minutes)

The top 3 from James Webb’s video
1 James Webb 70 donuts, new record
2 Nick Wehry 61
3 Sean Yeager

Salvation Army is doing a facebook live video of today’s donut eating contest in Washington, DC.

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Official results from today’s Nathan’s qualifier at Parma Rib ‘N Rock in Parma, OH. update News 5 Cleveland has an article

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I have started a youtube channel for uploading my competitive eating television archive. The first video is Eric “Badlands” Booker’s “Attack of the Show!” appearance on the G4 network on February 21, 2006. Booker discusses his competitive eating and hiphop career with host Kevin Pereira and then takes on Brendan Hermes in a one minute 100×100 In N Out burger eating contest.

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Official results (8 minutes):

James Webb has started a live video of the contest

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Full results are on the MLE contest page updated May 19

The WATE article about the contest incorrectly claims that Gideon Oji competed. This makes 4 recent contests for which Oji was announced as an entrant (wings, fudge, sweet corn, bologna) but did not show up.

WVLT is livestreaming today’s Ultimate Bologna Showdown in Knoxville, TN.

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Official results:

The Field: Steven Peterson, Olivia Murphy, Jeffrey Bonacorda, Anthony Kaminsky, Jay Ruppert, Julie Goldberg, A Korean (didn’t get the name), Prudence DiBenedetto, Larell Marie Mele, George Chiger, Crazy Legs Conti, Gideon Oji

KumaMonster has started a live stream of today’s Nathan’s qualifier at Times Square in Manhattan. The introductions are expected to start at noon Eastern.

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Full results of the Nathan’s qualifier at tonight’s West Michigan Whitecaps game. Darrien Thomas Instagram video update WCSG has an article

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The top 8 from James Webb’s live video (10 minutes)
1) James Webb 51 sausages, new record
2) Geoff Esper 38
3) Nick Wehry 31
4T) Greg Wilson 20.5
4T) Christopher “Old Guy Eats” Dale 20.5
6 Tanner Gray, MLE debut
7T Yasir Salem 15
7T Alberto Bravo 15

Old Guy Eats has started a live video

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