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Joey Chestnut is getting hungry ... telling TMZ Sports he's ready to "drop the hammer" in his big return to the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest come July 4 -- and he's got an INSANE goal in mind.

We caught up with the world's greatest eater fresh off the news he would again be competing in the Independence Day tradition after a year away due to sponsorship drama ... and he's looking to make up for lost time.

"You have to go without something in order to know how much you appreciate it," Chestnut said. "I'm definitely hungry for this year. Two and a half weeks, I'm going to be putting down some hot dogs."

9:57 AM PT -- TMZ Sports spoke with Major League Eating honcho George Shea ... and he opened up on how thrilled everyone is to reach an agreement.

Joey Chestnut just announced he'll be competing in the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest this year ... officially ending his beef with the annual Fourth of July tradition.

"I'm thrilled to be returning to the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest," Jaws said minutes ago. "This event means the world to me. It’s a cherished tradition, a celebration of American culture, and a huge part of my life."

As we previously reported, the world's most popular eater did not participate in the 2024 contest due to his sponsorship with Impossible Foods ... with Chestnut and Major League Eating disagreeing on whether it went against the rules.

Dave Portnoy is running it back with his popular One Bite Pizza Festival ... and the Barstool Sports founder tells TMZ Sports there's one guy he'd roll out the red carpet for at this year's event -- Charles Barkley.

We chopped it up with El Pres about the "greatest gathering of pizzerias" going down September 13 at Randall's Island Park in NYC ... and he raved about the lineup of eateries involved in the fun -- including Ceres, which he gave a rare >9 grade in one of his recent reviews.

Not only is there all the pizza folks can eat from spots like John's of Bleecker Street, Fortunate Son, Brooklyn Square and more than 30 others ... Portnoy said there will be a dessert village for attendees to enjoy.

Brittney Griner is finally addressing the speculation she called Caitlin Clark a "f***ing white girl" during a game last month ... and she's adamant those words never left her mouth.

On Sunday -- both before and after her Atlanta Dream squad took on the Washington Mystics in D.C. -- Griner was peppered with questions about the viral May 22 incident.

The WNBA superstar admitted she was upset over a foul call that a ref made -- but she was steadfast she never brought anyone's race into the mix.

Listen up, Knicks fans ... there's an opportunity to own a piece of franchise history -- Dick Barnett's NBA championship ring is about to hit the auction block, just months after the legendary guard passed away.

TMZ Sports has learned Barnett's ring is from the 1970 season ... when DB, Walt Frazier, Willis Reed, Phil Jackson and the rest of the Knicks defeated the Lakers in seven games in the NBA Finals.

The item is sweet ... and has a bunch of odes to the NYK season. The ring reads "New York Knicks" and "World Champions." Barnett's name is also engraved on the side of it.

Riley Gaines is going to be a mom ... announcing she's pregnant with her first child -- and taking a dig at Simone Biles in the process.

The former collegiate swimmer turned Outkick host revealed her big news at a Turning Point USA event on Saturday ... bringing up Biles' recent comment comparing her height to a man's in order to do it.

Riley says she thought it was totally ironic when Biles said, "bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male" ... asking the crowd how many men they know who have "this."

A former NFL star is blaming Minnesota Governor Tim Walz for allowing chaos to reign in his state ... just after two local lawmakers were shot.

Jack Brewer -- a four-year player in the league who played two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings -- spoke to Fox News Digital about the current state of Minnesota ... and, he called it the "Capital of Chaos in America."

Brewer says it breaks his heart to see the demise of one of the nation's great states, adding he lived there a long time between going to school at the University of Minnesota and playing for the Vikings ... and, he says it wasn't always this dangerous.

Gisele Bündchen brought some of that Victoria's Secret Angel glow to the water in Florida Saturday ... paddleboarding with some pals in a tight white swimsuit.

The model and mother-of-three went for a relaxing cruise atop the calm water in Surfside, FL with a couple of pals ... certainly sticking out in a tight white one-piece.

Gisele tried to keep a low profile in a hat with a long brim and sunglasses ... but, it's hard to hide when you're one of the biggest supermodels on the planet.

David Beckham marked Father’s Day with a heartfelt tribute to his role as a dad -- including a rare nod to all four of his children, even amid family drama with his son, Brooklyn.

Taking to Instagram on Sunday, the soccer star shared a touching post celebrating life as a father. "My most important and favorite job in life is being a dad," he wrote. "I’m so proud of all of you. Like daddy -- sorry boys -- tells you every day, I’ll always be here for you no matter what."

David also gave a special shoutout to wife Victoria writing, "Mummy, thank you for the most important part -- making me a father. There’s no greater gift in life."

Dwight Howard and Lance Stephenson’s highly anticipated BIG3 debut took a chaotic turn over the weekend when the former NBA teammates got into a heated scuffle that erupted into the crowd.

The fight broke out during a matchup between the Los Angeles Riot and the Miami 305 on Saturday, after a scuffle near half-court involving Stephenson and another player from the Riot.

Tensions escalated when Howard approached Stephenson courtside and shoved him, setting off a physical altercation that spilled into the stands.

Marcus Jordan ain't missin' his ex Larsa Pippen one bit ... 'cause he's hangin' with his Larsa lookalike and they're turning up the heat in the hot Florida sun.

Michael Jordan's son and a mystery woman are now definitely an item after they were first seen out together last year following Marcus' break up with Larsa.

Check out photos and video, obtained by TMZ, which show Marcus and the woman in major PDA mode while kicking back at the beach in Miami Saturday.

Sorry, Rough N' Rowdy fans -- Dave Portnoy says there's no chance Pat Mahomes Sr. vs. John Rocker ever gets resurrected ... telling TMZ Sports the fight getting killed the first time around was a permanent thing.

TMZ Sports caught up with El Presidente this week ... and asked if he'd ever try booking the scrapped April bout between former MLBers-turned-enemies again for his Barstool Sports amateur boxing promotion.

Long story short ... it would be a waste of time.

Lakers fans hoping to see more of the King and Knecht might get their wish ... 'cause Dalton Knecht tells TMZ Sports he and LeBron James could absolutely "run it" in L.A. for another half-decade plus.

Knecht, of course, was almost dealt to Charlotte in a trade last season ... but when we got him out at LAX on Friday, he told us despite the near move, he definitely wants to remain in the purple and gold.

And, he said he can see a scenario where he does that for several more seasons with James.

Julius "Juju" Ballo is determined to prove he's not just a Team USA amateur boxer with 614k Instagram followers ... telling TMZ Sports he will light up the ring like fireworks at his pro debut next month.

Ballo -- who won the USA National Championships in 2021 and 2022 -- will face 2-0 Brandon Ayala at Madison Square Garden on July 26 ... the first professional fight of his boxing career.

"I'm blessed," the 22-year-old said, "and excited to put on a great performance for the fans."

Joshua Van's life has been full of surprises lately ... 'cause he tells TMZ Sports he received a bombshell of his own while gifting his mom a new home -- a fight offer against Brandon Royval!!

It all happened after Van's third-round TKO victory against Bruno Silva at UFC 316 ... his 14th win and 7th knockout of his career.

Van -- who made his MMA debut in 2021 -- celebrated the victory by catching his mom off guard with a new crib, not knowing something would also fall into his lap.

What's the meaning of life? Are we alone out there? Why did someone get a nude Jason Kelce tattooed on 'em? We finally have an answer to at least one of the universe's biggest mysteries.

TMZ Sports chopped it up with Lauren Philpott -- a New York Giants fan (!!!) -- in an effort to get to the bottom of the viral tattoo ... which stems from a bet she lost with her husband dating back to the 2022-23 NFL season.

Lauren says despite not being a fan of the reigning Super Bowl champions, she is a big supporter of Jason and wifey, Kylie. For that reason alone, she has no regrets about the tat.