Joey Chestnut and soldiers compete in July Fourth hot dog eating contest at Army base

Joey Chestnut will compete in a Fourth of July hot dog eating contest after all — against soldiers at a Texas Army base.

Chestnut, who became known for his dominance at the annual 10-minute Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest in Brooklyn’s Coney Island, was disqualified in June from the competition after becoming a sponsor for Impossible Foods, a rival company that sells a variety of plant-based meat.

Refusing to sit at home idle, Chestnut will take his competitive eating talents to Fort Bliss, in El Paso, Texas. There he will compete against soldiers in a five-minute hot dog eating contest.

Chestnut said he hopes the soldiers will come ready to compete, adding that he will try to beat the combined total of hot dogs eaten by four soldiers, according to a report.

“If they (each) break ten, that’d be pretty good,” Chestnut said.

Ahead of the event, he prepared for the competition by fasting on water, lemon juice, and liquified calories.

The hot dog eating contest will be part of Fort Bliss’s “Pop Goes the Fort” celebration, where soldiers and their families will also take in fireworks and performances by the El Paso Symphony Orchestra and the 1st Armored Division Band.

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Chestnut had competed against the world’s best competitive eaters in the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest since 2005. He held the title of champion since 2016 and set the current record of eating 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes in 2021. Last year, Chestnut won the contest, eating 62 hot dogs in 10 minutes.

The hot dog eating champion will also compete in Netflix‘s live hot dog eating contest airing on Labor Day.