In an exciting start to the season, the famed Japanese competitive eater, Takeru Kobayashi, has beaten his long time rival, Joey Chestnut, in battle pizza. The two faced off in a 6-minute pizza eating challenge last weekend. It wasn't your ordinary pizza, however, it was sponsor Pizza Hut's 12-inch, one-pound pepperoni filled calzone, known as the P'zone. 
The extra thick layer of dough proved to be Chestnut's Achilles heel, "it's doughy," he said, "It takes a lot of chewing." Kobayashi consumed 5 3/4 P'zones to narrow out Chestnut, who chowed down 5 1/2 P'zones. The Tokyo native, who is recovering from a painful jaw disorder, came into the competition ready to win: "I wanted to prove that I'm champion. A champion will stand up to any battle."
Chestnut hopes to bounce back and uphold his title of hot dog eating champion. The much hyped competition takes place every year on the 4th of July. To check out a gallery of images of Chestnut and Kobayashi consuming the P'zones, read more.
Hot Diamonds
yay, Kobayashi back on top! sorry Joey!
1that's just INSANE! anyway - i guess if it's something that they enjoy then that's a good thing for them. i can't imagine being in a food contest like that though.
2exactly, ilanac.... it boggles my mind that competitive eating is... well, its a competition, and one that is recognized/followed/celebrated world wide. BIZARRE!!!
3Kobayashi still looks so skinny even after taking the title and eating a record number of p'zones. And I can't believe Joey Chestnut is sweating so. Crazy.
4Just thinking about eating 5 P'Zones is making me sick. We have a pizza place that just opened in town that has a contest where you and a friend have to eat a 12-pound pizza together and if you finish it, you get $500. My husband is trying to get one of his friends at work to go in on one with him. Too bad Kobayashi isn't in town...he'd be the ideal pizza eating buddy for the contest.
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