Joey Chestnut pleads guilty after bar fight — here’s what it will mean for July 4 Nathan’s competition

Joey Chestnut took a bite out of something more than just a hot dog.

The well-known competitive eater pleaded guilty in April to a misdemeanor battery charge and was given 180 days of probation after getting involved in a bar altercation, Us Weekly first reported. 

Court records showed that the perennial Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest champ pleaded guilty and was sentenced to probation. He had previously been granted a petition to travel outside of the state of Indiana, where the altercation took place and where he resides. 

That means Chestnut, 42, will come to Coney Island to defend his Mustard Belt title while he is still on probation. He told USA Today that he has “no restrictions.” 

The 17-time hot dog-eating champion is said to have struck a man with his open hand in a bar in March after the alleged victim recognized Chestnut and came up to him, an affidavit obtained by Us Weekly stated. 

The March 21 incident occurred just before 2 a.m., and the accuser said that Chestnut struck him on the left side of his face after the two had shaken hands. It’s also said that Chestnut told the person’s friend, “Look, your buddy’s mad.” 

Nothing transpired afterward, and when Chestnut spoke with police the following day about the incident, he told officers that he was “pretty drunk and didn’t remember” the situation. 

Police noted after watching security footage that “the accused had pulled [the victim] forward, moves closer and uses his right hand to strike [the victim] on the face with an open hand.”

“[The victim] is observed reacting to the strike and moving his head downward and holding it there while the accused stands over him and [his friend],” the officer recalled. “[Chestnut] moves toward [the victim] again and [the victim] moves away from the accused,” police stated. 

Chestnut pleaded guilty on April 20. 

Chestnut’s attorney Mario Massillamany did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Post, but told Us Weekly that his client “took full responsibility for this misunderstanding and resolved the matter by pleading guilty.”

“Joey regrets engaging and the interaction being misinterpreted. He strives to always connect in a fun manner with fans. In this case, some inappropriate things were said that Joey reacted to. He’s committed to avoiding being in those situations going forward,” Chestnut’s team told the outlet. 

Chestnut made headlines in 2024 when he did not take part in the 2024 Nathan’s contest due to a dispute with Major League Eating over a sponsorship issue.

He returned in 2025 and reclaimed the title after eating 70.5 hot dogs, beating the reigning champ Patrick Bertoletti by 20. 

Chestnut’s legal troubles have not stopped him from traveling. 

He was on Long Island in April while taking part in a BEC-on-bagel tour and proclaimed to The Post that Long Island bagels “might be the best.”