Number-one ranked competitive eater Joey Chestnut is set to defend his bagel-eating championship at Siegel’s Bagelmania in Las Vegas on January 31 as part of the 2026 World Bagel Eating Championship.
Chestnut will compete alongside top-ranked athletes from Major League Eating, coming off last year’s title-winning performance when he ate 15 bagels with cream cheese in just eight minutes.
"Las Vegas is the ultimate stage where legends are made and world champions are crowned," Major League Eating Emcee Sam Barclay said.
"This year promises to be one for the history books as our elite eaters seek to claim the coveted Bagel-Eating Champion title. Get ready for a jaw-dropping showdown!"
Contestants will be competing for a championship belt and title as well as a share of $10,000 in prize money. The 2026 World Bagel Eating Championship will also be streamed on TrillerTV for the first time, representing a “major milestone” for the competition as it continues to expand its presence nationwide.
“This is exactly the kind of fun, larger-than-life crossover TrillerTV is built for. We’re bringing together the undisputed king of competitive eating, Joey Chestnut, and GCW’s Sam Stackhouse — one of the biggest, most imposing personalities in independent pro wrestling — for a truly unique heavyweight showdown,” TrillerTV Chief Content Officer Adam Bigwood said.
“GCW is one of the world’s leading independent wrestling promotions and calls TrillerTV its exclusive global home, with over seventy live GCW events annually only on TrillerTV. This event lets us merge two worlds in an unexpected, entertaining way and deliver a one-off live spectacle to fans everywhere free of charge.”
Michael Crandall, Chief Business Officer for Siegel’s Bagelmania, also spoke of his excitement for the event, having said, "In Las Vegas, we do everything bigger and better, and the Siegel’s Bagelmania World Bagel Eating Championship lives up to that standard.
“It has become a much-anticipated event featuring Vegas’ best bagels, the nation’s best eaters and eight minutes of unbridled excitement. We are honored to again host the world-renowned Joey Chestnut and an all-star lineup of eaters, including Las Vegas’s own Derek Hendrickson, this month for another epic battle with $10,000 prize purse and world glory on the line.”
Major League Eating athletes taking part in the event with Chestnut include 2025 runner-up Patrick Bertoletti, Geoffrey Esper and James Webb.
The Las Vegas Strip welcomed Gymkhana, a London restaurant with two Michelin stars, to the Aria Resort and Casino on December 5, also representing its first location to be based in the US
