The world’s best eaters will be competing at the annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest on Independence Day this weekend. While there’s no real competition for Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo, the hot dog eating contest will welcome back some familiar competitors.
Scroll down below to learn more about the best Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contestants.
Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest Male Competitors
Joey Chestnut headlines the list of four male competitors in the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest in 2022. He will be up against rivals Geoffrey Esper, Nick Wehry, and Gideon Oji.
Below, we’ll introduce the top male competitors at the 2022 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest.
1. Joey Chestnut
Arguably the best competitive eater of all time, Joey Chestnut holds 55 World Records across many different disciplines. Since defeating six-time Mustard Belt holder Takeru Kobayashi in 2007, Chestnut has dominated the hot dog eating contest with 14 titles.
He is currently on a six-year reign and will be looking to win his 15th career Mustard Belt at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest this weekend. Last year, Chestnut set the World Record by eating 76 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes.
A graduate of San Jose State University, Chestnut’s brother entered him in his first competitive eating contest at the age of 21.
2. Geoffrey Esper
Geoffrey Esper is another decorated Major League eater holding 14 World Records. He is the 2017 and 2019 Hooters wing-eating Champion and a long-time contestant of Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. Esper’s latest accomplishment was in May when he ate 293 Jack’s Donut Holes in eight minutes.
While the competition isn’t close, Esper still managed to tie his personal best of 51 hotdogs at the 2021 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, taking home second place.
3. Nick Wehry
New to the competitive eating world, Nick Wehry only holds one major record of eating 50 hard-boiled eggs in 3 minutes and four seconds.
Wehry is ranked No.4 in Major League Eating and has increasingly improved at every hot dog eating contest.
In 2020, Wehry finished with 39.5 hot dogs and scarfed 44 hot dogs down in 2021.
Wehry is engaged to female contestant Miki Sudo and the couple recently had their first child.
4. Gideon Oji
The tallest athlete in Major League Eating, Gideon Oji stands tall at 6-foot-9 and uses his big frame to his advantage.
He competed in the 2016 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest and finished fourth, eating 38 hot dogs and buns. While he will likely need to double his best to beat Chestnut, Oji holds four major records, including two pounds of sliced bologna in 52 seconds, 1.3125 gallons of green chile stew in 6 minutes, 25.5 16 oz of chopped kale, and 10 pounds of baked beans in 1 minute and 45 seconds.
Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest Female Contestants
Former champion Miki Sudo makes her return to the stage at the 2022 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. While Sudo recently had her first child, she’s still the odds-on favorite to win the event. She will be joined in the field by 2021 women’s hot dog winner Michelle Lesco.
Scroll down below for a breakdown of the top female contestants at the 2022 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest.
1. Miki Sudo
The No.1 ranked female eater in the world, Miki Sudo makes her return after having her first child with competitive major league eater Nick Wehry. Recently engaged, the power-eating couple will have a friendly competition going in 2022.
Sudo holds seven Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest titles and set the women’s record at 48.5 hot dogs, which is 4.5 more hot dogs than her partner Nick Wehry’s best.
Sudo will make her return to the hot dog eating contest and will look to reclaim her title for the eighth time.
2. Michelle Lesco
Michele Lesco is the defending Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest Champion.
While she won the 2021 title, she did so without Sudo participating in the event. Still, Lesco was able to scarf down 30.75 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes for first place.
While she’ll look to defend her 2021 title, Lesco will need to improve on 30.75 hot dogs to beat Sudo.
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