More Like Rocky IV — The One With The Russian — Or Probably Just Like A 1980s Tag Team Match Against Nikolai Volkoff And The Iron Sheik (Sgt. Slaughter, Where Have You Gone?)

The global balance of power is restored to the world of competitive eating:

It was a script that could have been out of a “Rocky” movie, with an upstart trying to fell the champion. And just as in those movies, the upstart and the champion embraced in the end, knowing that a sequel would be inevitable.

The goal was rapid-fire hot dog consumption, not pummeling an opponent in the ring, but like a particularly bloody boxing match, it was disturbing to watch.

Joey Chestnut, a 23-year-old engineering student from California, ate a world-record 66 hot dogs in 12 minutes yesterday to unseat the six-time champ, Takeru Kobayashi, at the Nathan’s Famous hot-dog eating contest in Coney Island.

Chants of “U.S.A.” and “Joey! Joey!” rose from the crowd when Mr. Chestnut hoisted the Mustard Yellow International Belt of the champion.

“The Fourth of July brought this out,” he said, when asked where he found the strength to consume more hot dogs than a large family at a holiday picnic. It was his first victory in the 92nd annual event.

. . .

Like the 15-round epics between Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed, the outcome was unclear until the end. The rivals matched each other frank for frank. Mr. Chestnut, who has also won championships for eating grilled cheese sandwiches, chicken wings and deep-fried asparagus, jumped out to an early lead, but was never more than three hot dogs ahead.

Mr. Kobayashi, who wolfed down nearly 18 pounds of pan-seared cow brains to win the Glutton Bowl, made a push in the last several minutes to finish in a tie. The two men were eating so fast, stuffing several hot dogs in their mouth at once, that midway through the contest, several of the 15 other entrants had stopped eating and were watching the main event at center stage.

“It was kind of hard to concentrate on my own stuff,” said Erik Denmark, a challenger from Seattle, Wash. “I felt the emotion of the event.”

Earlier: Trying To Convince Your Body To Dance It All Down.