Valencia Review – 9 October 2026

Valencia’s bullring was filled to capacity on Friday, 9 October 2026, as the city celebrated Valencian Community Day. The occasion drew a full house, with the coveted ‘No hay billetes’ (sold out) sign displayed, and Roca Rey emerged as the afternoon’s leading figure. The Peruvian matador claimed one ear from each of his bulls and left shoulder-high through the Puerta Grande.

Morante de la Puebla produced moments of quality and distinctive artistry, although his sword work prevented him from securing any trophies. Tomás Rufo, meanwhile, earned an ear from the third bull after a commendable performance against an animal that soon began to lose its impetus.

The corrida comprised five bulls from Álvaro Núñez and one from Torrealta, which was fought first. The string varied in physique and behaviour. Although several animals offered opportunities for artistic expression, a lack of caste and fighting spirit affected the development of several faenas.

Morante displays his quality but finishes without trophies

Morante de la Puebla found an opportunity to demonstrate his distinctive style with the first bull of the afternoon, from the Torrealta ranch. He greeted it with an accomplished series of verónicas before moving on to a muleta faena whose finest moments came with the right hand.

The Sevillian matador gave several passes considerable depth and connected with the spectators filling the stands. However, difficulties with the sword ultimately determined the outcome. Following an unsuccessful first attempt, he delivered an estocada, but it was not enough to secure an ear despite a strong demand from the crowd. Morante acknowledged the applause from the ring.

With the fourth bull, he once again demonstrated his variety with the cape, performing faroles and chicuelinas. The muleta work was more restricted by the animal’s lack of quality, as it failed to provide the consistency needed for the matador to develop his artistry fully.

Despite these difficulties, Morante produced a particularly meritorious series of natural passes. It was one of the highlights of his second performance, although the bull’s limited potential prevented the faena from gathering greater momentum. The matador once again acknowledged an ovation.

Roca Rey asserts his authority and secures the Puerta Grande

Roca Rey approached his first bull with determination. He began his faena against the second animal on his knees, executing cambiados behind the back that electrified the crowd and established the tone for a performance built on courage and his ability to dominate the bull’s charges.

The Peruvian matador gradually developed the faena, reaching its most intense moments towards the end. With his right hand, he managed to impose his authority on the animal and, at close quarters, once again demonstrated his willingness to take risks and sustain the spectators’ attention.

An estocada brought the performance to a close. The president granted an ear following the crowd’s request, and Roca Rey collected his first trophy of the afternoon after receiving a warning.

The fifth bull presented greater difficulties from the outset. Initially reluctant to follow the muleta, it tended to disengage from the encounter. Roca Rey had to work hard to keep the animal involved and give continuity to a faena that gained substance through his command and precise positioning.

The matador succeeded in keeping the muleta low, extracting several meritorious series of passes. In the closing moments, bernadinas heightened the excitement before an effective estocada ended the performance.

The second ear confirmed the Peruvian’s triumph and secured his passage through the Puerta Grande in one of the most important dates in Valencia’s bullfighting calendar. His performance lived up to the anticipation and made him the undisputed star of the corrida.

Tomás Rufo earns an ear with a determined performance

Tomás Rufo also made his mark on the afternoon. The matador from Toledo received the third bull on his knees and began his faena with measured right-handed passes, seeking to establish an immediate connection with the crowd.

The bull soon lost its impetus and began seeking the refuge of the barriers, forcing Rufo to adapt his approach. The matador remained resolute and continued his work close to the barriers, where he produced natural passes of merit, with good lines and depth.

Despite the animal’s limitations, Rufo found moments of quality and maintained interest in a faena built on effort and determination. His closing luquecinas raised the intensity of the final passages, and an effective estocada allowed him to claim an ear.

The sixth bull offered no similar opportunities. It reached the muleta with little transmission and lacked the consistency Rufo needed to develop his bullfighting. The Toledan tried to make the most of what was available but found no clear route to a successful finish. Following a sword thrust that failed to penetrate fully and a subsequent estocada, he received applause.

Javier Gómez Pascual bids farewell to the bullring

The corrida also produced an emotional moment beyond the distribution of trophies. At the end of the event, Zamora-born banderillero Javier Gómez Pascual, who had been working in Roca Rey’s cuadrilla, cut off his coleta, marking the end of his professional career in the bullring.

His farewell added a special dimension to an afternoon in which the public had responded by filling the arena. The ‘No hay billetes’ sign confirmed the anticipation surrounding the bullfight held to mark Valencian Community Day.

Artistically, Roca Rey secured the most decisive triumph, thanks to the two ears he earned from his bulls. Tomás Rufo received a trophy following a determined performance, while Morante de la Puebla produced passages of considerable quality but found no reward because of his sword work.

There was only one recipient of the Puerta Grande, but the corrida offered several moments of interest for aficionados. Valencia thus experienced an afternoon of bullfighting defined by a full house, the matadors’ commitment and the Peruvian’s triumph.