Welcome to our in-depth look at the 4th of July hot dog eating contests! This year, the competition was hotter than ever, with some surprising twists and turns.

The most famous hot dog eating contest takes place at Nathan's Famous in Coney Island, New York.

This year, the men's competition saw a new champion emerge: Patrick Bertoletti, who devoured a record-breaking 58 hot dogs in 10 minutes!

In the women's competition, Miki Sudo defended her title, setting a new world record by eating 51 hot dogs.

But there was a major absence this year: Joey Chestnut, the 16-time champion, was unable to compete due to his endorsement deal with Impossible Foods, which conflicted with the exclusivity rules of Major League Eating.

However, Joey Chestnut wasn't completely out of the picture. He took on a different challenge at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas.

Chestnut faced off against four Army soldiers in a 5-minute hot dog eating contest.

And guess what? He won! Chestnut consumed a whopping 57 hot dogs, while the soldiers combined for 49.

But the rivalry isn't over yet! Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi, a legendary competitive eater, are set to face off in a rematch.

This epic showdown will take place on Labor Day, September 2nd, and will be streamed live on Netflix.

This is a match that fans have been waiting for, and it's sure to be a thrilling spectacle.