This Fourth of July, for the primary time in 23 years, neither of the world’s biggest aggressive eaters, Takeru Kobayashi and Joey Chestnut, will characteristic in Nathan’s Scorching Canine Consuming Contest.
In 2010, Main League Consuming banned Kobayashi from the occasion over a contractual dispute. They needed him to be unique to MLE, which sanctioned the Nathan’s occasion, held yearly at Coney Island. Final month, the identical occurred to his longtime rival, Chestnut, whom MLE banned from Nathan’s after he signed an endorsement cope with Not possible Meals, which makes vegan sizzling canines.
As a substitute, the 2 males will face off in a stay Netflix particular on Labor Day to find out as soon as and for all who’s the best eater on the earth. Their rivalry dates again to 2007, when Chestnut unseated Kobayashi, who had gained Nathan’s six years in a row and set a number of world information. Chestnut then went on to win 15 of the following 16 competitions and holds the present world report — 76 sizzling canines and buns in 10 minutes. Kobayashi, now 46, needs it again.
ESPN spoke with Kobayashi by his interpreter, Noriko Okubo, for the July 3 episode of the ESPN Each day podcast. In his first interview for the reason that Sept. 2 contest was introduced, he discusses his rivalry with Chestnut, what occurred with Main League Consuming and why he by no means retired from aggressive consuming.
ESPN: You grew up in a rustic the place sizzling canines are unusual. What was it like the primary time you tasted a sizzling canine?
Kobayashi: The primary time I ever competed at Nathan’s, I ate [a hot dog] two days earlier than the precise competitors, so it will need to have been July 2nd. I landed in New York, and it was the very first thing that I ate, so I bear in mind it clearly. The style was very sturdy, and it was salty.
ESPN: What else do you bear in mind from that first 12 months?
Kobayashi: I used to be stunned by the extreme scent of the meat sizzling canines. When you’re within the competitors, you do not concentrate on the style. You are solely motivated by consuming rapidly. However earlier than the competitors, when the scent irks you, it will probably have an effect on your total efficiency, so I used to be a bit apprehensive. The largest distinction was the viewers between Japan and America. American audiences cheer rather a lot for you. It’s totally rowdy. Japanese audiences are typically extra centered and concentrated and sit quietly, watching you.
ESPN: We have all seen the information that you’re going to be taking in your former rival, Joey Chestnut, for the primary time since 2009. What has it been like for you for the reason that information of this Labor Day faceoff happened?
Kobayashi: Lots of response by social media has come my manner. Associates, individuals across the neighborhood simply strolling down the road are actually excited about this like, ‘I actually hope you do effectively.’ We’re trying ahead to the competitors, and it actually, really seems like a whole lot of the followers are on this new journey and problem with me.
ESPN: If you got here to the U.S., you had been younger and altered the sport. You checked out being a aggressive eater as being an athlete, at aggressive consuming as a sport. Your method was totally different. How do you describe it?
Kobayashi: For me, it is extra concerning the rhythm of consuming and attempting to concentrate on doing as little as attainable that’s further. Very environment friendly consuming.
ESPN: What did you consider Joey’s method the primary time you competed towards him?
Kobayashi: His type is extra power-oriented. Very highly effective, I might say.
ESPN: You gained for six years. What are your fondest recollections from that point?
Kobayashi: The largest reminiscence is clearly that first 12 months after I gained and the second reminiscence is in 2004, one in all my rivals, somebody I would been competing towards persistently in Japan, additionally participated in Nathan’s with me. And I beat him.
ESPN: We won’t speak about your affect on the game with out speaking concerning the Solomon technique you developed. What’s the Solomon technique?
Kobayashi: Whereas others had been centered on consuming rather a lot, I used to be extra intent on specializing in that one sizzling canine and the way I can eat that one sizzling canine within the quickest manner attainable. As a result of when you concentrate on that, all it’s important to do is repeat that and you find yourself consuming essentially the most sizzling canines. It was like conducting analysis in a lab. I attempted all kinds of issues. That is after I discovered that breaking the recent canine in half, separating the bun from the canine and dipping it in water was, for me, the quickest technique.
ESPN: What was it about your persona and the way in which that you just noticed the game that allowed you to exceed what anybody had executed earlier than, to actually show attainable issues your rivals believed had been not possible within the sport earlier than you?
Kobayashi: At first, I believe I used to be actually simply suited to this sport. I used to be extra of a person participant, not a lot into staff sports activities. It is actually the mindset, the spirit. Approaching aggressive consuming as a sport might be an important factor for me. I additionally take pleasure in excessive sports activities. I like issues which have a component of hazard, a component of problem.
ESPN: You instructed us you first observed Joey when he positioned third in a contest in 2004, however he made it right into a rivalry with you when he gained in 2007. What do you bear in mind from that 2007 contest at Nathan’s?
Kobayashi: There was disappointment on my aspect from dropping. However on the identical time, it had been a really lonely place for me for a few years, by way of attempting to advertise aggressive consuming by myself. And I believe by having a rival now, there was a way of reduction, that it wasn’t simply as much as me to maintain bettering my rating.
ESPN: You had been the hero within the sport for thus a few years. And as soon as he emerged, you appeared to tackle the position of the villain. What was your sense of your position within the rivalry as soon as Joey emerged on the scene?
Kobayashi: The truth that I turned a villain got here as an enormous shock. I did my finest. I labored onerous to raise aggressive consuming in addition to the Nathan’s competitors. And for this to occur was type of like a slap within the face. how they depicted me within the promotion of the competitors really damage me. I nonetheless am not in a position to forgive the competitors organizers for doing this. It is an extremely dangerous reminiscence for me.
ESPN: How did they painting you?
Kobayashi: Lots of the promotion was about speaking about how Kobayashi got here to the U.S. to destroy the Independence Day that was celebrated in the US. And he was right here to disgrace People. And I believe there have been individuals who believed this to be true. That was the type of vitality that was popping out and a few followers, due to that sheer hatred for me, selected to cheer on an American competitor as a substitute of me.
ESPN: In 2010, my understanding is that Main League Consuming needed you to signal an unique contract to compete solely at their occasions. You declined, and due to that, they barred you from the competition that 12 months. What occurred on the day of that 2010 competitors?
Kobayashi: We had been nonetheless negotiating till the eleventh hour. However rapidly, Nathan’s revealed a press launch that stated Kobayashi won’t compete. My lawyer and I had been fully stunned. I had simply moved to the U.S. intent on making a profession there. I had nothing to do now, so I needed to not less than depart a message to the world. That day, I made a decision to go to Coney Island about an hour and a half earlier than the competitors. My pals had created a t-shirt that stated, “Free Kobayashi.” I hoped at the back of my thoughts that one of many journalists would see what it stated on my t-shirt.
The Main League Consuming press launch centered on the truth that I used to be scared from competing towards Chestnut and that I had determined to run away. That is not the message I needed for individuals to consider. I actually needed individuals to know that it was extra about my rights to be concerned in different competitions. I snuck into the viewers of the competitors and my then-girlfriend, who’s now my spouse, her brother determined to hold me on his shoulders so that individuals may see that I used to be there within the viewers, and the press bought maintain of it. As you already know, it is stay on ESPN. A picture of me was depicted on the massive display, and the viewers began to chant, “Let him eat!” I bought actually excited due to the chanting, and I made a decision to run over to the stage. And since the safety, the police, had been fairly conversant in me, they created room for me to go as much as the stage. However as soon as I used to be there, I believe the organizers instructed the police that I wanted to be caught. And that is what the police needed to do. The identical police that created house for me to go as much as the stage.
ESPN: What was your intent if you climbed on the stage? What did you need individuals to see?
Kobayashi: It was about me attempting to inform the those who I am prepared. I am ready to eat, to problem and to win towards Joey.
ESPN: And now, almost 15 years later, you might be about to compete once more. However in Could, Netflix launched a present, “Hacking Your Well being,” by which you appear to say you deliberate to retire from aggressive consuming. What went into that call?
Kobayashi: By way of the timing of the printed, it was not what I supposed. That present was filmed three years in the past in the course of the pandemic. At that time after I was being interviewed, I hadn’t competed in two years. So, each mentally and bodily, I used to be not at that place the place I had the thoughts of an athlete. By means of the present and discovering the info about what was taking place to my mind, I did really feel that, yeah, possibly I might take into consideration retiring due to the state of affairs that we had been all in. And whoever translated my phrases into English, effectively, what I did say in Japanese was possibly I’ll find yourself retiring ultimately.
ESPN: Regardless that that Netflix particular was filmed three years in the past, on the time, you had severe considerations about how aggressive consuming had affected your physique and mind. What considerations do you continue to have at this time?
Kobayashi: In fact, that is one thing I do not need to be excited about. As a result of for those who begin pondering that your sport is harmful or it isn’t good in your physique, you possibly can’t push your self. However what have to be stated is that for most of the people, this sport just isn’t secure. It is clearly not good in your physique. Even my colleagues who’ve competed with me through the years, there are already three individuals who have died of their 50s or beneath the age of fifty.
ESPN: After having not competed in 5 years, we get this long-awaited rematch between you and Joey Chestnut, 15 years within the making. How did this come about and what made you need to do that?
Kobayashi: I simply need to determine who’s the quickest eater, who’s the stronger one. That must be determined as soon as and for all.
ESPN: How has coaching been going and what’s most totally different about coaching for aggressive consuming at 46 in comparison with if you had been the teenaged Tsunami?
Kobayashi: I am not younger anymore, so the restoration is slower for me in coaching. However if you begin excited about all of the negatives, all of the disadvantages, I actually can’t concentrate on that. We’ve to defy pure logic. If I say I’ll win, I’ll win, and that is that.
ESPN: What’s your prediction for the Labor Day contest?
Kobayashi: I need everybody to sit up for this. Will probably be stay globally, and the world’s biggest might be decided. And it shall be me.