Spanish bullfighter Morante de la Puebla is facing a long and painful recovery after a violent incident in the ring left him seriously injured.

The 46-year-old matador, often dubbed the “King of Bullfighters,” was gored during a performance at Seville’s Maestranza arena, an accident that quickly escalated into a medical emergency requiring hours of surgery.

Now speaking out from his hospital bed, Puebla described both the physical pain and the fear in the immediate aftermath, according to VT.

“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 shared online.

What makes the incident more striking is when it happened.

He was rushed into surgery
Puebla had already faced three bulls without issue when the situation changed in seconds. The bull charged, and caught him off guard. He dropped his cape and tried to escape, he left himself vulnerable — and was struck. He was quickly carried out of the arena by fellow matadors before being rushed into surgery.

At first, Puebla feared the worst. But once he reached the infirmary, he realized the bleeding wasn’t as severe as he had thought – a moment that brought some relief, even as the pain intensified.

“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,” he said. “Without a doubt, it was the most painful goring ever.”

“I’m in a lot of pain”
The aftermath, however, has proven difficult.

“The truth is, I’m in a lot of pain,” Puebla admitted, explaining that he has struggled to sleep and has little appetite. He is also being fed through an IV catheter – something he says he has never experienced before

The injury, sustained in a particularly sensitive area, is expected to keep him sidelined for some time

Beyond his recovery, the incident has once again sparked debate around bullfighting in Spain. While the tradition remains widely practiced, critics – including animal rights groups – are pointing to the risks involved and renewing calls for it to be banned.