Nathan’s Hot Dog Contest Eater Doubles Down On Cheating Accusations

Nick Wehry, the husband of Nathan’s Hot Dog Contest women’s division champion Miki Sudo, is facing some sizzling accusations, and the drama is heating up.

During the July Fourth hot dog eating contest, two insiders claim he used some sneaky sleight of hand tricks to boost his hot dog count and sneak into the ranks of the sport's top contenders.

Initially, Nick Wehry commented on the accusations, denying he cheated -- and in a new statement, he is doubling down.

On the big day at Coney Island, Nick Wehry chowed down an impressive 46.75 hot dogs in the sizzling showdown, securing a fourth-place finish.

But here's where it gets juicy. That 46.75 figure later jumped to 51.75 on the official Major League Eating (MLE) results website, allegedly giving Wehry credit for five extra hot dogs that he was reportedly never served.

“100% he cheated,” one source told The New York Post.

Each contestant starts with a plate of five hot dogs, and every empty plate means five more hot dogs gobbled down. The Nathan’s Hot Dog Contest judges tally the scores by counting these empty plates. Any "debris" left on top—bits of bun or stray chunks of beef—could lead to deductions, depending on the judges' call.

Now, according to sources who dished to The Post, Wehry allegedly "stole plates" from another competitor's stack and sneakily added them to his own, inflating his score to over 50 hot dogs.

Wehry's score bump after the contest ended was due to his reportedly asking for a recount following the initial judge’s tally.

Shortly after the accusations were made, the fourth-place contest spoke out. “If MLE determines I was miscounted then fix my number. My placing did not change if this was the case. I would never want to take a placing or number I didn’t earn,” Wehry said. “I would never cheat at a contest, regardless of why. People that know me know that.”

Now, he is doubling down on those allegations despite a video showing him touching another competitor’s plates after the competition ended.

“Because I did touch another eater’s plates and because this gives the appearance or possibility of impropriety, I have asked Major League Eating to adjust my score down,” he told The Washington Post.

Major League Eating also spoke out, telling the outlet, “MLE investigated the incident, carefully considering the complaint and reviewing the videos provided to us. Like many other professional sports leagues, it is our policy to not overturn judges’ decisions after the final results have been recorded.”

Before the annual hot dog eating contest, the company dropped a bombshell announcement: 16-time winner Joey Chestnut was banned from participating due to his partnership with Impossible Foods. As expected, Americans were outraged, as watching Chestnut in the competition is considered an Independence Day tradition.

"We are devastated to learn that Joey Chestnut has chosen to represent a rival brand that sells plant-based hot dogs rather than competing in the 2024 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest. MLE and Nathan’s went to great lengths to accommodate Joey and his management team, agreeing to the appearance fee and allowing Joey to compete in a rival, unbranded hot dog eating contest on Labor Day," Major League Eating told the New York Post ahead of the big day.

"For nearly two decades, we have worked under the same basic hot dog exclusivity provisions. However, it seems that Joey and his managers have prioritized a new partnership with a different brand over our long-time relationship," the company added.

Shortly thereafter, Joey Chestnut broke his silence.

“I was very disappointed to learn from the media today that after nearly 20 years, I am banned from the Nathan's 4th of July Hot Dog Eating Contest,” he wrote in the caption of an Instagram post. “I love competing in that event, I love celebrating America with my fans all over this great country on the 4th, and I have been training to defend my title.”

He went on to participate in a different contest, the Pop Goes the Fort July 4th Celebration, where he consumed 57 hot dogs in five minutes.