Man From Buffalo New York Shares Bizarre Hot Dog Contest Routine

There is always a Buffalo connection to just about every story these days and there is a connection to the Nathan's Hot Dog Contest on Independence Day!

We spoke with Ronnie about the big day and how he prepares for the competition. He is a Buffalo native who now lives in the Fort Drum area with his wife who is currently stationed there.

Ronnie told us that he also has a few hurdles that he tries to overcome before the eating starts. He had a bizarre way of practicing that involved some desserts to try and overcome it.

"What I really struggle with is chewing and swallowing. I have a huge capacity, I ate 14 pounds of strawberry shortcake in 8 minutes a couple of weeks ago. I have a lot of room for food, but I am just not able to get it down fast enough. These last couple of practices I have been trying to get 10-15 (hot dogs) down as fast as I can!"

Good luck Ronnie!!!

The event takes place LIVE from the original location this year. The pandemic forced the hot dog contest to be moved to other locations for the last two years.

Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog-Eating Contest will air live on Monday, July 4. ESPN has exclusive live broadcast rights from 10:45 am ET to the conclusion of the event, expected to be at 1 pm ET. This marks the 19th consecutive year ESPN has televised the event.