One of the most intimidating fighters in mixed martial arts, Yoel Romero, missed a press conference on Wednesday due to his fear of heights, it has been revealed.
Romero, 46, is due to headline Bellator 297 in Chicago on Friday (16 June), as he challenges Vadim Nemkov for the promotion’s light-heavyweight title. The press conference for the event was held in Chicago’s Willis Tower on Wednesday (14 June), taking place on the building’s 99th floor.
Romero – an ex-UFC title challenger – is reported to have said: “Not even with my kids would I be able to go up on a Ferris wheel.”
Meanwhile, the Cuban’s translator said: “He apologises to everybody, but getting inside that building is a fight that he knows he’s not going to win.”
Romero instead joined the press conference via video call, speaking from the bed in his hotel room.
Former UFC and Bellator fighter Chael Sonnen hosted the press conference and said of Romero: “He’s not scared of much, can we agree on that? You guys know why he’s not here today? Oh, I hope you guys don’t know.
“Turns out, he’s scared of heights. He wasn’t scared of Nemkov; he wasn’t scared of the Russian mysterious champion of the world, who he’s gonna be locked in a cage with, but he was scared to come to the press conference when he found out what floor it was on.
“Quite frankly, I really don’t blame him, guys. We are up pretty high, aren’t we?”
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