Last year, Joey Chestnut expressed his dismay after getting banned from a contest he had dominated for years. “I was gutted to learn from the media that after 19 years I’m banned from the Nathan’s July 4th Hot Dog Eating Contest,” Chestnut wrote on X. It turned out that partnering with rival brand Impossible Foods, who make plant-based meats (including hot dogs), didn’t sit too well with Nathan’s organizers. However, things are different this year.

With the ban no longer in effect, the 41-year-old competitive eater is ready to take to the stage once again on the 4th of July. And this time, the ‘Greatest Eater in the World’ is coming back with a vengeance. The 41-year-old, who set the record at 76 hot dogs and buns at Nathan’s in 2021, is looking to break it. Yet that’s not the only big announcement competitive eater has made ahead of the Friday contest.

Joey Chestnut gave fans a glimpse into his mindset ahead of the record-breaking attempt while appearing on Barstool Sports’ Pardon My Take podcast. That’s because, despite his age, the 55-time world record setter has no plans of slowing down, well beyond the Nathan’s Hot Dog Contest. “Retirement would be death,” Chestnut said on the podcast. “I’m doing this thing until the wheels fall off, baby,” he added.

Yet, a prolonged competitive eating career isn’t the only thing the veteran competitor is excited about. After a year away from the contest, the 16-time champion is glad Nathan’s lifted the ban. “I’m thrilled to be returning… This event means the world to me,” Chestnut wrote on X, calling the annual 4th of July event a “celebration of American culture.”

He was also glad to settle his differences with the organization. Joey Chestnut clarified that he continues to collaborate with other companies, including those in the “plant-based space,” but those won’t conflict with his love for hot dogs. “I’m grateful we’ve been able to find common ground,” explained the competitive eater. So with the ban behind him, the champion is ready to take on his own record.

A lot needs to go right for Joey Chestnut

While the 41-year-old couldn’t compete in last year’s Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, he gave a show-stopping performance at the Fort Bliss July 4th Celebration. Chestnut nearly tied with the 2024 Nathan’s champion, Patrick Bertoletti, in half the time. Bertoletti ate 58 hot dogs at the event in 10 minutes. Meanwhile, the 16-time champion ate 57 in just five minutes.

So there’s little doubt that Joey Chestnut has what it takes to challenge his own existing record. However, the competitive eating champion knows exactly what happens when things don’t go your way. “76 in ten minutes is a tough record to beat,” he told Barstool Sports. “It’s gonna be a hard one. It’ll take perfect conditions,” added Chestnut. And yes, he meant weather conditions.

“Not too hot. If it’s windy, the hot dogs get cold. [You need] enough warmth—like 78 degrees, 75. If it’s kinda dry outside, the buns get stale, so you need to have fast buns, warm dogs, and not too hot,” the former champion explained as he gears up for the record-breaking attempt. The competitor needs all of this to go in his favor because, despite his abilities, Chestnut is getting older.

Joey Chestnut also confessed to gaining weight and said he would be in trouble if he started sweating. Then come the aftereffects. Chestnut himself discussed how bad he felt after his record-setting run in 2021. “Most people relate to feeling really bloated and tired after Thanksgiving. It’s kind of like that, except really, really bad,” the champion once told Business Insider. It’s safe to say a lot of things can go wrong, but the 41-year-old hopes that all odds will be in his favor on July 4.