Joey Chestnut has been banned from the annual July 4th Nathan’s Hotdog Eating Competition, in junction with the Major League Eating (MLE) organization. The reason why? A brand deal.

According to sources, Joey has partnered up with Impossible Foods, the plant based meat company. But the company being plant based has nothing to do with the ban, it’s a breach of an exclusivity contract Joey has with Nathan’s Hotdogs and the MLE. A rep from the MLE said they’ve bent over backwards to meet Joey’s needs in these eating competitions, but drew the line once he has partnered up with another hotdog brand. Joe has won 16 of the last 17 Nathan’s Hotdogs Eating Competitions. He is probably the main reason people watch this event. Now that he might not be there, will ratings drop?

Joey Chestnut, born in California, is the undisputed heavyweight champion of competitive eating. Joey has set records, from devouring dozens of hot dogs in just 10 minutes to conquering a variety of eating challenges. Joey’s first Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest win in 2007 that catapulted him to fame. With an incredible 16 titles under his belt and multiple Guinness World Records, Joey continues to dominate the global stage.