Major League Eating rushes to fill the U.S. sports wagering void with the Quarantine Challenge
SHOWS: VARIOUS, UNITED STATES (APRIL 17, 2020)(MAJOR LEAGUE EATING - MUST COURTESY 'MAJOR LEAGUE EATING') 1.
VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF HOUSES WHERE MAJOR LEAGUE EATING COMPETITORS LIVE 2.
(SOUNDBITE)(English) ANNOUNCER SAYING: "We are a nation in isolation, all of us staying in our homes.
Major League eaters are no exception, but Major League Eating is the first professional sport to return to action with the BetOnline Quarantine Challenge.
Tonight's contest will determine the seeding for our eight person bracket, the first of four instalments that comprise the Quarantine Challenge.
Eight top ranked eaters from around the nation will go head to head in this officially sanctioned competition.
It's an epic play in and the food at hand is baloney, it's a speed round with just two pounds of baloney." 3.
VARIOUS OF COMPETITORS GETTING READY BEFORE START OF EVENT 4.
BETONLINE QUARANTINE CHALLENGE LOGO 5.
EXPLANATION OF EVENT 6.
MORE OF COMPETITORS GETTING READY BEFORE START 7.
CLOSEUP OF TWO POUNDS OF BALONEY TO BE EATEN DURING EVENT 8.
JOEY CHESTNUT GETTING READY TO EAT 9.
MATT STONIE WARMING UP BEFORE START 10.
(SOUNDBITE)(English) ANNOUNCER SAYING: "Here's a look at Joey Chestnut preparing at his house.
Let's get a camera into Matt Stonie loosening up in his kitchen." 11.
(SOUNDBITE)(English) PLAY BY PLAY ANNOUNCER SAYING: "It's go time!
It's go time time!
Count it down with me from five, four, three, two, one, go!" 12.
VARIOUS SPLITSCREENS SHOWING COMPETITORS TRYING TO EAT TWO POUNDS OF BALONEY AS FAST AS POSSIBLE 13.
(SOUNDBITE)(English) PLAY BY PLAY ANNOUNCER SAYING: "And we're gonna take a look, they're all eating the baloney as if it were a sandwich, they're just picking it up like it's a sandwich but in this case the bread on the sandwich is just more baloney.
And look at Joey Chestnut, he's cupping it, he's folding it Richard, he's folding it, putting it down, but look at Miki, very fast, Miki and Matt, but wait a second the person to look at is Gideon Oji, look at him, look at Gideon go!
He's like a giant, listen to him Richard!
Listen to him!" 14.
GIDEON OJI TAKING LEAD 15.
(SOUNDBITE)(English) ANNOUNCER SAYING: "Yeah George, that guttural sound emanating from Gideon's skyscraper of a torso is indeed encouraging.
Joey, gotta be careful not to fall back out." 16.
GIDEON OJI FINISHING THE BALONEY IN 52 SECONDS TO WIN EVENT 17.
(SOUNDBITE)(English) PLAY BY PLAY ANNOUNCER SAYING: "No this is Gideon!
This is Gideon!
Gideon Oji got 52 (seconds).
Joey Chestnut got 55.
Oh my glory, Matt now struggling with Miki, Matt Stonie, Richard, he had her but he stumbled and now Miki's got it, she beat out Matt Stonie." 18.
SPLITSCREEN SHOWING TOP FOUR FINISHERS THAT ADVANCE TO NEXT ROUND - GIDEON OJI WINS, JOEY CHESTNUT FINISHES 2ND, MIKI SUDO 3RD, AND MATT STONIE 4TH STORY: Major League Eating kicked off the Quarantine Challenge Friday (April 17), a bracket-style elimination eating tournament sponsored by www.BetOnline.ag, to meet overwhelming demand for sports content from fans.
The series which featured eight of the world's top eaters facing off via video from their homes.
The winner of the opening bracket was Gideon Oji who finished off two pounds of Bolona in 59 seconds.
Oji upset eating legend Joey Chestnut the who is ranked number one in the world and the 12-time winner of the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest.
The 6-foot-9 Oji also holds the kale eating record which he set on august 13th at the Erie County Fair in Hamburg New York.
Oji finished off 25 pounds of kale in just over eight minutes.
"Competitive eating is most powerful when conducted on-stage in front of a large audience, but it is also one of the few sports that professionals can perform from the confines of their own home," said MLE Chairman George Shea.
"While there has been substantial discussion about which professional sport would be the first to return - with baseball, basketball, golf and MMA all floating recent potential return plans - competitive eating is first to come back.
It is a powerful statement of American resilience." Friday's field consisted of Joey Chestnut, the #1-ranked eater in the world and 12-time winner of the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest; Matt Stonie (255 Peeps in five minutes); Darron Breeden (528 oysters in eight minutes); world-renowned chugging champion Badlands Booker; Miki Sudo, the #1-ranked female eater in the world; Gideon Oji (25 lbs of kale salad in eight minutes); Michelle Lesco (176 gyoza in 10 minutes); and Nick Wehry (11 lbs of strawberry shortcake in eight minutes).
Foods for each first-to-finish round are as follows: Qualifying Round: Sliced Bologna - two pounds Quarterfinals: Milk and Cookies - one family pack of Oreos and a half gallon of milk Semifinals: Baked Beans - 1.125 gallons (or 10 pounds) Finals: Ramen Noodles - 10 individual ramen cups (Production: Peter Bullock)