Joey Chestnut, famed as the many-time winner of the Nathan’s hot dog eating championship in New York City, has pleaded guilty to a battery charge and been handed probation in an Indiana court.
The 17-time hot dog champ was sentenced to 180 days of probation after being charged and pleading guilty to a misdemeanor battery resulting from bodily injury in Hamilton County, Indiana, according to USA Today.
The incident reportedly occurred in a local bar on March 21. It is not exactly clear what happened, but court documents say Chestnut hit another bar patron across the face with an open hand.
Chestnut has no travel restrictions and is still set to participate in the annual Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest scheduled to be held in Coney Island, New York, on July 4, where he will defend his title.
Just this month, Chestnut won the 2026 Ultimate Bologna Showdown in Knoxville, Tennessee, by eating 16 pounds of bologna in 8 minutes, the paper added.
He is also scheduled to compete at the Nick the Greek Gyro Eating Contest in San Diego on May 19.
Chestnut earned headlines in 2022 when he dropped an animal rights extremist who tried to disrupt the 15th annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest.
An animal rights protester in a Darth Vader mask charged the stage and tried to steal Chestnut’s spotlight after he won the contest by eating 63 dogs. The hot dog-eating champion casually turned, put Darth in a headlock, and showed that the force is indeed strong in him.
The protester’s sign read, “EXPOSE SMITHFIELD DEATHSTAR,” and appeared to be a reference to an animal rights situation in Utah.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: Facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston, Truth Social @WarnerToddHuston, or at X/Twitter @WTHuston