Should Competitive Eating Have Weight Divisions? A Look at Kobayashi vs. Chestnut
Joey Chestnut weighed in at 222 pounds and ate 83 hot dogs, averaging 0.3738 hot dogs per pound of his body weight. In contrast, Takeru Kobayashi weighed in at 148 pounds and ate 66 hot dogs, averaging 0.4459 hot dogs per pound. That is a 74 pound weight difference, if you haven’t done the math yet. Chestnut weighs 50 % more than Kobayashi.
To match Kobayashi's pound-for-pound performance, Chestnut would have needed to eat 99 hot dogs. On the flip side, for Kobayashi to match Chestnut’s ratio, he would’ve only needed to eat 55.32 hot dogs.
These numbers make it clear: Takeru Kobayashi is the pound-for-pound hot dog eating champion. This raises the question—should there be weight divisions in competitive eating?
In the early days of UFC, there were no weight classes, leading to some epic David vs. Goliath matchups. However, as the sport evolved, it became clear that weight classes were necessary to maintain competitive balance. For example, no one (except maybe Conor McGregor) thinks that Conor McGregor could beat Jon Jones. Both are exceptional fighters, but the size and weight difference make a fair fight impossible. Have we reached a similar point in competitive eating?
Introducing weight divisions didn’t diminish the UFC—it elevated the sport by allowing more fighters to compete at the highest level. The same could be true for competitive eating. While Chestnut will likely continue to eat more hot dogs than Kobayashi, it's worth considering how much weight and size play a role in these competitions.
Chestnut mentioned that he has eaten 82 hot dogs multiple times in practice and set a goal of 80 for this competition. He will likely break his own record soon. He also acknowledged that someone taller might eventually surpass him. Meanwhile, Kobayashi exceeded his previous record, despite not competing in 15 years. This suggests that if he wanted to, Kobayashi could push even further.
What’s surprising is that no commentators seem to be discussing how both eaters destroyed the records set at Nathan’s annual contest. While people will still enjoy the 4th of July event at Coney Island, it’s clear that Nathan’s isn’t the ultimate test of greatness in competitive eating anymore. If Major League Eating wants to stay relevant, they might need to offer more flexible contracts, as competitors now have other options.
A Netflix sequel next year, or whenever, could be the perfect opportunity to bring Chestnut and Kobayashi back and introduce weight divisions. Imagine two classes—heavyweight (above 180 pounds) and lightweight (below 180 pounds)—with a handful of the top eaters in each. That could be the future of competitive eating. What do you think?
