A legendary Spanish matador has suffered what he called the most painful goring ever during a bullfight in Seville.
Morante de la Puebla, known as the 'King of Bullfighters', was rushed to hospital on Monday after his rear end was completely severed during the traditional event at the Maestranza arena.
Bullfighting has long been a source of controversy but continues to be beloved, and hated, by millions in Spain.
This is because of the dangers it poses to both the fighters and the bulls, with one man even being gored to death in Colombia last year.
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Although Morante is regarded as one of the best in the business, his bullfighting days may well be over after Monday's (20 April) malicious moment, which saw the bull charge and drive its horn into his rectum.
'It was the most painful goring ever'
“I was in immense pain, felt a lot of fear because I saw the bull had grabbed me and, well, I thought I was bleeding,” he said in a video posted to Instagram from his bed at a local hospital.
“By the time I got to the infirmary and saw that the bleeding was minimal, I relaxed quite a bit, but of course, it hurt a lot. Without a doubt, it was the most painful goring ever.”
The matador had already cleared three of the four bulls that were with him in the ring, when the fourth and final bull decided to charge while his back was turned.
While Morante attempted to do the traditional drop of the cape, or muleta, to lure the animal away, this bull was particularly intent on finding its mark, and did so with serious precision, leaving the fighter with a painful four-inch tear.
Images show the 46-year-old clutching his bottom while stricken on the floor, with four other matadors then helping to lift him away from the ring, as he now recovers in hospital.
'The truth is, I’m in a lot of pain'
Morante is perhaps lucky to still be alive, considering the immense damage that bulls can do, as another 22-year-old bullfighter sadly lost his life in Portugal last year when he was slammed into a wall by a brazen bovine.
In his update, he also suggested that he is struggling to eat or sleep at all, with doctors inserting a catheter which will give his body the nutrients it needs as he attempts to get back on his feet following surgery to repair his rectal wall and sphincter.
“The truth is, I’m in a lot of pain. I’ve gone through a pretty normal night of little sleep. I’ve got no appetite, and I’m hoping to get through it with, well, with a bit of patience", he concluded.
When he does regain his appetite, you wonder if beef might be on the menu.
The history of bullfighting and why it's so controversial
Bullfighting has been at the heart of Spanish culture for centuries, and is considered one of the symbols of the Hispanic culture, with fights also taking place in Portugal, France and parts of Latin America.
However, in more recent times, calls have been made to put an end to bullfighting once and for all due to the suffering the bulls go through.
Humane World for Animals estimates that around 180,000 bulls are killed around the world in bullfights. Although advocates of bullfighting argue that if the matador aims correctly, the bull will die in a matter of seconds, this type of quick, clean death is not the norm.
In most cases, the matador misses the target, injuring the bull’s lungs and bronchial tubes, causing blood to flow and bubble through the animal’s mouth and nose - ultimately prolonging suffering and giving the bull a slow and painful death.
Bullfighting is now banned in countries such as Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Denmark, Italy and the UK.
James Moorhouse