Defending champion Joey Chestnut forces himself hot dogs during the Nathan's annual hot dog eating contest in the Coney Island section of New York July 4, 2010. Chestnut ate 54 hot dogs to retain his title. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

Joey "Jaws" Chestnut won his fourth consecutive Nathan's July Fourth Hot Dog Eating Contest at New York's Coney Island Sunday.

However his thunder was stolen when former champ Takeru Kobayashi rushed the stage and was arrested, USA Today reported.

Chestnut, who is from California, put away 54 hot dogs in 10 minutes. Kobayashi won the contest every year from 2001 to 2006 but did not compete this year due to contract disputes with Major League Eating.

Once the competition was over, Kobayashi went up to the stage where police grabbed him. He was holding on to the barricades as cops took him into custody.