All-out war between Morante and Roca Rey over a pass: "Maestro, smoke a cigar slowly."

The air in El Puerto crackled, the Turkish bath at over 30 degrees, but it wasn't the ambient temperature, but the frenzy unleashed around the clash between Morante de la Puebla and Roca Rey, the brawl, as they say in Mexico. The fire had been brewing since before Santander, only there the maestro wanted to make it visible. And boy did he. There's "personal rivalry," remarked the exultant businessman Carlos Zúñiga, with his Plaza Real overflowing with people due to the tiled roofs as the scene of the clash. Zúñiga has recently been given the face of Don King. And that tension led to the death of the complicated fourth bull , when Morante approached Roca to criticize him for a pass (via caleserinas): "That's for another time." To which the Peruvian haughtily replied: "Maestro, smoke a cigar slowly."

At 8:05 p.m., Morante had stepped into the largest bullring in Spain, having been rebuilt: a Garcigrande bull had crushed his body the night before in Marbella, and it was necessary to infiltrate him, in the hotel room in El Puerto, at the height of the hip, in the head of the femur, where he felt the beating.

The Royal Plaza of El Puerto erupted in a standing ovation for the maestro, for the glory bestowed upon this very arena last week, for so many accumulated, for the effort of coming, for the year of consecutive anthologies, and for his absolute dedication. MdlP invited Roca Rey to share it, and the Peruvian star extended a friendly gesture with his arm around his back. And so, with Daniel Crespo as well, they cleared the plaza in apparent peace. But there was also war, because they came together fiercely.

Morante had a slight limp. It didn't matter. With one leg and one arm, he's unbeatable. At 8:26 p.m., he had finished the show, burying his sword up to the hilt in a canonical volapié. The fit of his slippers is felt even in this so-called supreme move. But the verónicas were supreme, and above all, the delantales and a half-verónica with feet together in front of the bull were supreme. The performance, from the prologue to the paso—the trinchera, the molinete—relied on the thread of bullfighting and the connection of the series . At 8:21 p.m., a right-hander, made of rhythm and beat, led to a tremendous change of hand. Cuvillo's good jabonero, a coarse point, lacked depth to round off, but he offered enough to give those two series of natural passes a categorical body. It's astonishing to see him connect the natural with the chest, right on the spot, as the classics demanded. He joyfully walked around the bull to hurry him along. He did this with gusto and high before finishing him off with a high finish, finally tipping the scales to two ears.

It was curious to witness the metamorphosis of the audience: the same people who had cheered the good bullfighting rose to their feet at the beginning of Roca Rey, performing changed passes on their knees to a beautiful bull that, in terms of build, tone, and duration, was extraordinary. From the shocking

From the prologue to the vibrant epilogue, through extremely tight Bernardinas— the two high points of the event —a sea of muletazos spread out, industrially produced, tremendously physical, with some inverted circular passes and plenty of gestures to reconnect. Attacking or being attacked at times, Cóndor delivered a stellar thrust at 8:56 p.m. and won two ears. Some unsuccessfully requested a return to the ring for the great bull, Encendido.

At 9:25 p.m., Daniel Crespo received a standing ovation after dispatching the fine third bull, which was lively from the start but deteriorating and disorderly. He achieved a magnificent verónicas, a chicuelinas pass, and the beginning of the faena, releasing his left foot with a flick of the wrist.

Morante de la Puebla miraculously escaped goring again when he dared—as in Santander—to stop the fourth bull with half a cape, in some cuts of his own creation that ended up pinning him against the boards . When he fell in the ring, the goddess Fortuna willed that the cuvillo, which was carrying the bull with its seriousness, would pass over, seeking the querencia. More courage than Espartero, but with a borderline impulse in the immolation. That braggart with meek features caused a stir by knocking down the horse, and then it was Morante who caused the stir with a heartbreaking importance. The importance of risking one's life every afternoon without a fuss. The maestro was tremendous before the tough beast in his exposition, knowledge, and determination, always following the path of purity, until reaching the sublime with his left hand. A pair of natural passes remained for eternity. They still float above the ring. The significance of what had happened ended with his superlative right hand , in favor of Querencia. And with a flawed but sufficient sword thrust. The square roared with clamor, crashing against the wall of a president in denial, who ended up receiving a scolding and a contemptuous gesture from Morante with his montera. It was already 9:55 p.m. And when he entered the alley, he resolutely approached Roca Rey to rebuke him for the ill-timed pass: "That's for another time." To which the Peruvian rudely replied: "Maestro, smoke a cigar slowly."

The lackluster fifth bull gave Roca nothing, going all out against logic, until he lost control of the task in an already lackluster, overextended length. He also failed to show his effort. We entered the night.

And the light shone with the remarkable sixth bull for Daniel Crespo, who not only gave his all, but also performed brilliantly. A magnificent, vertical cadence to the strains of El Concierto de Aranjuez , a formidable slowness. A great and emotional performance, finished with a resounding sword thrust. Two ears to join the triumphant Morante and Roca bandwagon in a total war.

El Puerto Royal Plaza. Saturday, August 9, 2025. Packed and sold out. Bulls from Núñez del Cuvillo; well-presented, stronger in the second half; the second was extraordinary; the first was good and lacking in length; the sixth was notable; the third was less so and disorderly; the brash fourth was tough; the fifth was dull.

Morante de la Puebla , a Nazarene and jet-black bull. A thrust (two ears); a defective thrust (majority petition and greetings).

Roca Rey, in navy blue and gold. A great thrust. Warning (two ears); stab and thrust (ovation).

Daniel Crespo , Corinthian and gold. A stab and a long, sweeping, and corner-shaped thrust (silence); a great thrust (two ears).