Updated

Amid rumors of a model catfight, Kate Upton finally was due to join her fellow stars of this year’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue Wednesday in Miami for a promotional appearance at LIV at Fontainebleau.

Upton was conspicuously absent Tuesday night at the SI party in downtown Manhattan to celebrate the 2014 issue, the New York Post reported. 

Buzz swirled that Upton, who was given the back cover of the magazine after being the front cover girl in 2012 and 2013, was upset at being the runner-up to this year’s trio of Chrissy Teigen, Nina Agdal and Lily Aldridge, and saw the back cover as a consolation prize.

But her rep insists Upton didn’t attend Tuesday’s party because she fell ill, not because she’s unhappy about bringing up the rear.