Roca Rey returns to the arena in Jerez and takes four ears. One of the most anticipated bullfights of the season took place in Jerez: Roca Rey, after a serious injury, confidently claimed four ears, while Morante de la Puebla failed to capitalize on his opportunity. The audience greeted the toreros with ovations.
On Friday, the Jerez arena hosted a notable return of two leading figures of Spanish bullfighting — Morante de la Puebla and Andrés Roca Rey. Both matadors had recently suffered serious injuries in Seville, but just a month later they were back in the ring, filling the venue and provoking a passionate response from the audience. The main result of the evening was the absolute dominance of Roca Rey, who managed to win four ears, while Morante left without any awards despite his emotional attitude and the support of the spectators.
Before the start of the bullfight, Morante de la Puebla took part in the unveiling of a monument to Rafael de Paula, adding an extra emotional layer to the event. However, in his very first appearance in the ring, he drew an unfortunate bull named Guerrero, who was ill-suited for a spectacular performance: the animal was distracted and did not give the desired response. The wind also made the matador's work more difficult. Despite a few expressive moves, Morante ended his performance with a series of unsuccessful thrusts and did not receive any trophies.
The second participant, Sebastián Castella, started with a promising bull but failed to realize the animal's potential. His performance dragged on and, despite an active start, the result was modest—just one ear for the entire evening. Meanwhile, Roca Rey, in his third appearance, faced the bull Vivaracho, which displayed rare docility and allowed the Peruvian to demonstrate a high level of technique and artistry. From the very first moments, Roca Rey acted decisively, delivering a series of impressive moves and confidently controlling the fight. The only noticeable hint of his recent injury was in the striking technique, but this did not stop him from earning two ears for the first part of his performance.
In the second half of the evening, Morante once again faced misfortune: his bull barely moved, nullifying all the matador's efforts. Despite attempts to enliven the fight and calls from the audience, the result remained unchanged—no trophies. In his second outing, Castella again received a remarkable bull, but once more had to settle for a single ear after a prolonged contest and a series of stabs.
The evening's finale belonged to Roca Rey: he began the sixth fight in spectacular fashion, meeting the bull at the arena gates, and once again demonstrated confidence and skill. Although the final bull was not as good as the previous ones, Roca Rey managed to overcome the circumstances and finished the evening with two more ears. After nearly three hours of bullfighting, he was carried out of the ring on the crowd’s shoulders, making it the main event of the day.
According to the organizers, the Jerez arena was sold out. The entire bullfight featured Jandilla bulls: the best specimens went to Roca Rey and Castella, while Morante found himself at a disadvantage. Such situations, where the outcome of the fight is determined not only by skill but also by the draw, have repeatedly become a topic of discussion in the Spanish media. For example, earlier attention was drawn to a tragedy at the festival in Beas de Segura, where a bull fatally injured a participant— the details of this incident also sparked wide public response.
For reference: the Jerez bullfight is considered one of the key events of the Andalusian season. This time, tickets were completely sold out. Final statistics: Morante de la Puebla — no trophies, Sebastián Castella — one ear, Andrés Roca Rey — four ears. According to several commentators, Roca Rey's performance was among the season's most impressive comebacks, while Morante's misfortune once again raised the issue of the role of chance and the allocation of bulls in the outcome of the corrida.
