NEW YORK — Renowned competitive eater Joey “Jaws” Chestnut reclaimed his championship on Friday at the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot-dog eating contest. He rejoined the competition this year in New York after skipping last year’s event to compete for the prestigious Mustard Belt.

Chestnut, 41, devoured 70 1/2 hot dogs and buns in just 10 minutes, although he didn’t reach his personal best of 76 set on July 4, 2021. This victory marked his 17th win out of 20 appearances at this globally broadcasted contest, which he missed in 2024 due to a contract disagreement.

In the women’s division, last year’s titleholder Miki Sudo from Tampa, Florida, claimed her 11th victory by consuming 33 hot dogs, surpassing a dozen contenders. In the previous year, she had set a personal record by eating 51 hot dogs.

A large crowd, many wearing foam hot dog hats, braved high temperatures to witness the annual eat-a-thon, held outside the original Nathan’s Famous restaurant in Coney Island, Brooklyn, since 1972. Many show up to see Chestnut’s much-awaited return to an event he has called “a cherished tradition, a celebration of American culture, and a huge part of my life.”

Chestnut bested 14 fellow competitors from across the U.S. and internationally, including Australia, the Czech Republic, Ontario, England and Brazil.

Last year, Major League Eating event organizer George Shea said Chestnut would not be participating in the contest due to a contract dispute. Chestnut had struck a deal with a competing brand, the plant-based meat company Impossible Foods.

Chestnut told The Associated Press last month that he had never appeared in any commercials for the company’s vegan hot dogs and that Nathan’s is the only hot dog company he has worked with. But Chestnut acknowledged he “should have made that more clear with Nathan’s.”

Last year, Chestnut ate 57 dogs — in only five minutes — in an exhibition with soldiers, at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. He said that event was “amazing” and he was pleased to still have a chance to eat hot dogs — a lot of them — on July Fourth.

“I’m happy I did that, but I’m really happy to be back at Coney Island,” he said.

Last year in New York, Patrick Bertoletti of Chicago gobbled up a 58 to earn the men’s title.

Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.