Joey Chestnut reclaimed his throne at Coney Island Saturday, downing 66 hot dogs in 10 minutes to win his record 18th Nathan's Famous Mustard Belt — proving no corporate ban can keep a champion down.

The win matters because just last year, Nathan's and Major League Eating banned Chestnut from the contest over his sponsorship deal with Impossible Foods, a plant-based meat substitute company. Only the New York Post reported that detail; ESPN and the AP both buried it. The ban handed the 2024 title to Patrick Bertoletti — the first non-Chestnut winner since 2015. This year, Chestnut came back and crushed the field by 16 franks.

Chestnut, 42, has now won 18 out of 21 appearances at the internationally televised event. He called competitive hot dog eating "the most patriotic sport we've got" in an Instagram video before the competition, according to the AP. After his win, he told the crowd: "It's a dream, it's electric, there's no place better on Earth."

Bertoletti managed 50 hot dogs for second place. On the women's side, Miki Sudo claimed her 12th title with 38.75 dogs, improving on her 33-dog tally from last year but falling short of her 2024 record of 51.

Both champions said the 90-degree Brooklyn heat took a toll. "I usually don't have this much spare room left over, but we'll see — something cold," Chestnut told the Post. ESPN announcers noted the humidity changed the consistency of the buns. Sudo said she relied on "muscle memory" and that "the crowd really carried me through."

Sudo told the Post the America 250 celebration added pressure: "Today was not the day to lose... extra eyes on us."

Chestnut walked away with $10,000 and the belt, sporting a bejeweled Polymarket necklace — a sports betting company sponsor. He fell short of his own 2021 record of 76 dogs but made clear he wasn't satisfied. "Dang, I got so much room left," he told an ESPN interviewer after the win.

The contest wasn't without off-stage controversy. Chestnut pleaded guilty in April to misdemeanor battery after an incident in an Indiana bar and remains on probation, allowed to travel outside the state. Major League Eating said the case didn't affect his eligibility. ESPN noted the arrest in its coverage but conveniently omitted any mention of the 2024 Impossible Foods ban that kept Chestnut off the stage — the only detail that explains why he wasn't defending his title last year. ESPN also reported that Nathan's Famous was sold in January to packaged meat giant Smithfield Foods, a corporate consolidation the AP didn't mention.

Chestnut's return to the Mustard Belt is a simple story: a man punished for choosing his own sponsor came back and won anyway. The establishment can ban you, but it still has to beat you on the stage. Chestnut still has room on his plate — and he's not apologizing for a single bite.