Joey Chestnut pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery after slapping a man at a bar in Hamilton County, Indiana, in March 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4]. The incident took place around 2 a.m. on March 21 at Joe's Grill, where Chestnut pulled the man closer and struck him on the left side of the face with an open right hand, according to a police affidavit describing nonconsensual contact that caused pain and injury [1, 2, 3, 4].
Chestnut told law enforcement he was "pretty drunk and didn't remember" the incident, adding that the slap appeared to look like a joke after he watched the video footage [1, 2]. His attorney, Mario Massillamany, said Chestnut took "full responsibility for this misunderstanding" and "understood that he wanted to accept responsibility for his actions" [2, 3]. Chestnut's legal team said he regrets the interaction and its misinterpretation, stating he "strives to always connect in a fun manner with fans" but reacted to "some inappropriate things that were said" [1].
On April 20, 2026, Chestnut was sentenced to 180 days of probation [1, 3, 4]. Despite the sentence, he was permitted to travel outside Indiana and will compete in the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4, 2026, at Coney Island while under probation [2, 3, 4]. Chestnut is the reigning champion, having won the 2025 contest by eating 70.5 hot dogs in 10 minutes [1, 4]. This will not be Chestnut's first return after controversy; he missed the 2024 contest due to a sponsorship breach but reconciled with organizers for the 2025 event [1, 2, 3, 4].
The March altercation stems from a handshake initiated by the victim, which led to the slap after Chestnut pulled the man closer [1, 2, 3, 4]. The victim responded by moving his head down and holding his face while Chestnut stood over him [1, 2, 3, 4]. Chestnut's sentencing leaves him on probation through late October 2026.
Chestnut's participation at Nathan's on July 4 is set to proceed under the terms of his probation. Court records confirm the timeline from the March incident to sentencing and upcoming contest participation [1, 2, 3, 4].
