Hot Dog-Eating Champ Joey Chestnut Choked Out A 'Darth Vader' Protester & Still Ate The Most

Joey "Jaws" Chestnut has won 15 Nathan's Famous hot dog-eating contests, but he's never had to physically fight someone off to do it -- until now.

The competitive eating G.O.A.T. delivered the performance of a lifetime at this year's Independence Day hot dog-eating contest on Coney Island, where he choked out a protester in a Darth Vader mask and then went right back to eating.

The bizarre moment happened in the middle of one of the United States' most bizarre contests — one that Chestnut has dominated for the better part of the last two decades.

Chestnut was in the middle of scarfing a hot dog when a protester in a Darth Vader mask rushed the staged and shoulder him aside to flash a sign for onlookers and the ESPN broadcast.

"Expose Smithfield Deathstar," the sign read.

The protester got less than a second to show off his sign before Chestnut sprang into action.

Chestnut threw his arms around the guy's neck and knocked him down, with a bit of help from one of the Nathan's staffers.

Then he went back to stuffing his face.

An animal-rights group called Direct Action Everywhere has claimed responsibility for the protest, as part of an effort to call out a Utah pig farm for alleged cruelty to animals. Two other members of the group were previously charged for allegedly stealing piglets from that farm.

Chestnut ultimately won the eating contest to secure his 15th title, although it wasn't his best showing. He ate 63 dogs, which marks the fewest he's eaten in one sitting since 2015, ESPN reports.

Of course, they'll have to put an asterisk in the history books for this one, given the whole protester thing.

Chestnut wasn't even at 100% for the competition, because he actually showed up on crutches to the event.

Of course, you don't need your legs to eat 63 hot dogs. You just need an iron stomach, a set of jaws and an incredible tolerance for eating junk — even when Darth Vader is trying to stop you.