Bellator 297 was set to have Yoel Romero at the press conference, announcing his upcoming fight against Vadim Nemkov for the light heavyweight title. Unfortunately, the event was to be held 99 stories high, in the Willis Tower in Chicago; an obstacle too far for Romero who, it has emerged, has an extreme aversion to heights.

Despite his apology for his absence, it was the source of much amusement for Chael Sonnen and other Bellator officials, who also acknowledged that it was a new reason for a fighter missing a press conference. They joked that Romero’s “kryptonite” had been revealed.

Romero himself joked that he lacked the courage to ride on a Ferris wheel, going to the extent of explaining that he would never have even taken his children up on one. This was not the first time that heights had proven to be a challenge for the fighter, as he had previously declined a photo shoot on the Sky Deck of the Willis Tower before his UFC 225 title fight against Robert Whittaker.

Despite his absence, the press conference went ahead as planned, with Bellator’s PR chief, Danny Brener seizing the opportunity to use a TV to put Romero on screen, alongside Nemkov, and Bellator’s chief, Scott Coker.

The sight was a strange one indeed, but made the best of a bad situation and kept the proceedings from being hampered by Romero’s absence. Nonetheless, it was evident that the height issue would have some impact on the fighter as the title bout loomed.

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