[posted by Justin Levine]

For those who missed the epic event that went down on July 4th, it was considered by many to be one of the greatest, if not THE greatest in the 93 year history of the contest. Joey Chestnut won it in overtime in a 5-dog eat-off against the equally astonishing Takeru Kobayashi. It was one for the ages. Congrats Joey!

Footage here, here and here.

I’m thrilled that Chestnut was able to dig deep within himself and pull out a victory to keep the belt in America.

Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas gave an impressive showing. She’s one to keep an eye on for future contests. I also liked Juliette Lee’s efforts. The competition is getting fiercer, and that’s good for the sport.

As for Kobayashi – what can I say? The man is a great competitor and a very gracious person as the video attests to. He was even able to repeatedly jump up and down after swallowing 50+ hot dogs in 10 minutes in order to psych himself up for the overtime round. You have to feel for a guy who swallows that many hot dogs, only to come in second place. Oooch! But he has nothing to worry about in terms of his reputation. His record for holding the title for 6 straight years in a row is not likely to be challenged any time soon. Kobayashi revolutionized the sport more than any other individual. Even if Chestnut continues to dominate him in future years, his legacy will be secure.

Some are now comparing the Chestnut / Kobayashi rivalry along with the great sports rivalries in history (Ali vs. Frasier; Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird, etc.). I agree. This is a great age for fans of the sport.

Chow on!

— Justin Levine