Perera vs Emilio de Justo: The Mano a Mano of Ten Puertas Grandes

This is no ordinary mano a mano. Not in any ring, but even less so in Madrid. Between them, Perera and Emilio de Justo have a total of ten Puertas Grandes at Las Ventas. Six for the pacense, and four for the cacereño. Two of the most successful matadors in Madrid over the last 15 years will face off on 12 October. It’s the perfect way to close the current season in the capital’s bullring.

What’s more, the judges of this contest—the bulls to be fought—come from the prestigious Victorino Martín ranch, the most awarded breeder in this ring over the past half-century. Undoubtedly, their bulls will serve as the ideal challenge to decide this showdown between two of the most in-form toreros in the current rankings.

Perera boasts 20 years as a matador, two decades that have seen him rise first to become a leading figure, a status he earned after his unbeatable 2008 season, and then to consolidate that position with a commanding and powerful style, now infused with a depth and even sentiment that has come with time.

Emilio de Justo is a prime example that, with hard work and persistence, anything is possible, even becoming a leading figure in the bullfighting world. After almost a decade in the tough and cold shadows, France gave him a second chance in 2016, and from the southwest of France, he began his comeback. His severe cervical injury, which could have derailed his career, didn’t hold him back. He didn’t lose his place, nor did he yield the ground he had already won before the setback.

In 2024, Perera, in peak form, opened the Puerta del Príncipe at the Feria de Abril, in addition to achieving many other triumphs across the bullfighting circuit. Meanwhile, Emilio de Justo, who also triumphed at La Maestranza, missed the opportunity for one of the best performances at San Isidro due to poor sword work, but quickly followed it up with a remarkable run of summer successes, notably at the August Fair in Málaga, where he cut three ears.

The bulls from Victorino, whose magnificent San Isidro 2023 run is still remembered, await in the distance for Hispanic Day, set to put the finishing touch on an already iconic date in the Las Ventas calendar. In recent years, thanks to Plaza1’s involvement, it’s become another “sold-out” event in Madrid’s successful bullfighting season.

José Miguel Arruego

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