Bullfighting has been left orphaned. The night was falling heavily, with all its darkness weighing down, over Morante de la Puebla's last Puerta Grande. He sang an unexpected farewell with his hand over a crowd, in a twilight lap around the ring, after cutting his pigtail in an unexpected act. They took pieces of his bullfighting suit as if taking relics. Barely able to move forward, not without anguish. Cries of "José Antonio Morante de la Puebla!" on the way to Calle de Alcalá, the tunnel of triumphs illuminated by the lights of mobile phones. Interestingly, in parallel, others carried Fernando Robleño on their shoulders through the bullfighters' door, as his farewell was announced. Immense sadness floated over the ring.
Morante cut his pigtail at 7:37 in the evening. Unexpectedly, after taking a lap around the ring with the two ears of the fourth bull, which had caught him at the start. In an exercise of absolute overcoming, of the bravest of artists, of the most artistic of the brave. The Plaza de Madrid, which had filled up at his call morning and afternoon, fell silent. And applause began as he himself untwisted the pigtail with tears in his eyes. The emotion of the moment left everyone in shock. There was no turning back. Some had protested his glory. There you go. After that perfect sword thrust. And after bullfighting like no one else on the right side. But that's not the point now. It's the unexpected farewell of the God of bullfighting. The Puerta Grande was waiting open for the greatest. A living myth is leaving, a living legend, creator of an anthological season.
Tragedy fluttered over Las Ventas at the 13th minute of seven in the evening. Morante was performing unbelievable chicuelinas, after a daring scissor maneuver on his knees, overflowing with impetus and confidence, with the bull at the start. He was caught head-on with the violence of a collision. The somersault was brutal, terribly hard. So much so that the master lay motionless in the ring. The bullfighters lifted him up, making a makeshift stretcher with their hands. Dazed, dizzy, they assisted him between barriers. He returned to the bull's face, composed but not whole, diminished. And yet he continued bullfighting. Incomparable poise, unity, art. Only on one side, the right, the only side the bull offered. Memorable once again. This weekend, MdlP has been generosity in capital letters, infinite dedication, and that generosity had to be somehow reciprocated.
Morante had faced a bull of considerable height earlier, big, 615 kilos, one of the three five-year-old bulls from the remarkable shipment of Justo Hernández. He greeted it with a salutation that ended with two superb veronicas. Nothing compared to the subsequent veronica -what a veronica!- , time stopped in a move, chest exposed, chin down, everything in sync in a stellar veronica. The big bull still had an air of a good, hopeful bull. In fact, Fernando Robleño took advantage of it, who had never fought a Garcigrande bull, with veronicas, trying to bring classicism. But it was almost the last in terms of charges with a clear path, as at the beginning of the fight, it began to fall short, exhausted. MdlP shortened with artistry and got stuck with the sword against the wall.
Fernando Robleño, after a manageable and mediocre bull, faced the bull for his farewell with excellence as deserved with his history of tough bulls. This Tropical from Garcigrande was extraordinary. And Robleño enjoyed it with both hands, as if it were the last, which it truly was, until at the end of the fight, so acclaimed, he let himself go in the most heartfelt natural of his life. True to his record, he missed before burying the sword. A significant ear. Next, his children cut his pigtail after 25 years of career.
The bullfight had started with a bull of incredible perfection, with such short horns, so well-built, so serious at the same time. Gracefully, it descended with a splendid stride, that touch of class. Sergio Rodríguez performed loose lance work and then chicuelinas and galleras. The Garcigrande bull was looming. The fight was poor, especially the three times Jesús Fernández intervened, crossing in front. Rodríguez was confirming his status, having earned his place on this October 12th as the winner of the Copa Chenel. He didn't quite understand the bull, its nuances, I say. The more connected he was and the more he bullfighted, the more depth he revealed. Also, bravo Saleroso, who wanted everything low.
Sergio Rodríguez adapted better and shone more in the third series on the right side and in some natural passes. The audience respected the discreet performance, and also didn't fully grasp the bull's essence judging by the sparse applause during the drag. Rodríguez had killed it cleanly. The sixth bull wasn't bad either, but lacked brilliance. It didn't matter. The news was elsewhere, in the saddest Puerta Grande in the world, this farewell of Morante leaving bullfighting orphaned.
MONUMENTAL DE LAS VENTAS. Sunday, October 12, 2025. Last of Autumn. Sold out. Bulls from Garcigrande, well presented, different builds; extraordinary 1st and 5th; manageable 6th; good right horn on the 4th; 2nd and 3rd fell short.
MORANTE DE LA PUEBLA, IN LILAC AND GOLD. Four stabs and a sword thrust (silence); great sword thrust (two ears). Exited through the Puerta Grande.
FERNANDO ROBLEÑO, IN MAROON AND GOLD. Three stabs and a detached sword thrust (silence); stab and a detached sword thrust (ear). Exited on shoulders through the bullfighters' door.
SERGIO RODRÍGUEZ, IN WHITE AND GOLD. Sword thrust. Warning (greetings); stab and a low sword thrust (silence).