ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Miki Sudo and Joey Chestnut and were popular picks to win the U.S. Buffalo Wing Eating Championship on Sunday at Highmark Stadium.
But it was James Webb, the No. 5-ranked eater in the world from Sydney, Australia, who devoured the competition. Webb scarfed down 276 wings in 12 minutes as he cruised to victory.
Chestnut finished second with 240 wings, and Sudo took third at 231.
Sudo ate 246 wings in 12 minutes to beat Chestnut in 2021, and last year she ate 233 wings to repeat as champion.
People from 43 states and 24 counties attended this year's National Buffalo Wing Festival in Orchard Park. The Wing King, Drew Cerza, said that is the most in his 22 years of running the festival.
As for the best in show, the top award for best chicken wing went to a wing spot across the Atlantic.
Just Wingin' It, a restaurant and food truck in Iceland, won the coveted best in show award. Their "Lemon Pepper Cajun Honey" chicken wing was the top choice amongst over two dozen judges, including 2 On Your Side's Heather Ly, Melissa Holmes, Pat Hammer, and Nate Benson.
Justin Shouse founded Just Wingin' It in 2020 as a food truck. The company now has two trucks and two brick and mortar restaurants.
"We have so much respect for all the other competitors here," Shouse said. "So for us to be able to come here and win this award, we weren't expecting it.
Shouse is a native of Erie, Pa., and has lived in Iceland for over 20 years. The former basketball player for Iceland's National Basketball team opened the food truck to fulfill his quest to find a good chicken wing in Iceland.
"For us to be able to share that with the people of Iceland, it's been really special," Shouse said. "It's just been a grassroots thing, we've never run an advertisement in Iceland, it's all just been word of mouth, and recommendations for people, and that's also what's happened here today."