Bulgarian Nikolay „Papaworm“ Filipov is the new world champion in hot food eating in the League of Fire. He won the world title on October 3, after defeating three-time champion Steven „Fiery Redd“ Kurgan from the USA in a direct fight.
The final was held in front of an audience on the stage of Sofia Chilli Fest 2026 near the Sofia village of Lozen. With the victory, Filipov won the world champion belt of the League of Fire and brought the title to Bulgaria.
The fight lasted 14 rounds and nearly an hour and 40 minutes. Each of the two contenders ate over 76 competition peppers, and the winner was determined in the first speed round.
Among the tests were peppers with a spiciness of over 1.5 million units on the Scoville scale. In two of the rounds, the competitors also consumed sauces specially prepared for the final with a spiciness of over 6 million units on the Scoville scale.
„I have no words to describe how happy I am. It was a very tough battle and until the last moment I gave it my all because I knew what a chance this was – for me, but also for Bulgaria“, said Nikolay Filipov after the victory.
He congratulated his opponent for the fight and sportsmanship and defined winning the world title in front of a Bulgarian audience as a moment he will remember for the rest of his life.
He defeated a world champion and Guinness record holder
Filipov reached the title against one of the most serious competitors in the international league. Steven “Fiery Redd“ Kurgan arrived in Bulgaria as a three-time world champion of the League of Fire.
Just days before the fight, the American also set a Guinness world record for the fastest eating of 50 Ghost Peppers (Bhut Jolokia), completing the challenge in less than five minutes. The previous achievement belonged to Canadian Mike Jack.
The Bulgarian champion also has a serious history in competitive hot eating. Nikolay Filipov is a two-time winner of the Sofia belt of the League of Fire, having won the competition in 2024 and 2025. His participation in the international tournament in Rieti in August this year has also been confirmed by the organizers of the competition.
In 2025, Filipov also set a world record for the fastest eating of 25 Carolina Reaper peppers - 4 minutes and 32 seconds.
Hundreds supported Filipov before the final
Minutes before the battle for the world title, festival visitors took part in the “Big Hot Bite“ – an initiative for as many people as possible to simultaneously bite into a chili pepper.
The event was organized as a support for Nikolay Filipov before the final. Each of the participants received a fresh chili pepper, and after a signal from the stage, everyone had to bite at the same time. The organizers announced in advance that the initiative would be documented as a record attempt.
The world final was hosted by League of Fire founder Shahina Wasim, known as the UK Chilli Queen, and the match was broadcast online for the international audience of the competitive league.
The chili festival continues today
Sofia Chilli Fest 2026 continues today, October 4, near the village of Lozen. The third edition of the festival takes place on October 3 and 4 and brings together producers, competitors and fans of spicy foods from Bulgaria and abroad.
The program includes tastings, a product bazaar, music, demonstrations, workshops, activities for children, visits to the farm and the Museum of Spicy, as well as various spicy challenges.
The second day of the festival already begins with the League of Fire championship belt in Bulgaria.