Overview

• The 46-year-old matador surprised the crowd in Madrid by cutting his braid in the center of the ring, a traditional sign of retirement reported by Spanish media.
• He earned two ears for his second bull after a high estocada, prompting a celebratory lap before the unexpected gesture.
• Earlier in the bout he suffered a spectacular fall, appeared shaken, and later returned to complete a composed faena that ignited the stands.
• The performance secured an exit through the Puerta Grande at Las Ventas, underscoring the magnitude of the afternoon’s result.
• No formal statement from Morante or his team was cited in the initial reports, which framed the in-ring act as his decision to retire.