David de Miranda shakes up the Málaga Fair with an explosion of epic bullfighting.

The Málaga bullring, which had posted a "sold out" sign at the ticket office, yesterday witnessed one of the most extraordinary and intense experiences a fan can enjoy: the feat of a bullfighter truly risking his life in front of an excessively complicated bull, the absolute power of intelligence and the disregard for the supreme risk that foreshadowed at every moment the goring, the drama, and who knows, the imminent tragedy.

The star of the show was a bullfighter from Trigueros (Huelva), David de Miranda , 31 years old, winner of the last April fairs in Seville and the Colombinas, who cut off three ears, left the bullring on shoulders through the main door and shattered the Málaga fair with two spectacular performances, especially with his first bull, which left the mouths open and the hearts of the thousands of people who were fortunate enough to witness the event with their mouths open and their hearts in their throats.

He was accompanied by Roca Rey, a great among the greats, and the always committed Manuel Escribano, who was replacing Cayetano. And he already set a sting in Flanders with a beautiful and precise pass from the Peruvian bullfighter to the first bull, performing tight saltilleras and gaoneras with his cape draped over his back. These were the prelude to what, minutes later, would be a truly historic performance.

After a few neat and uneven verónicas in his first, he offered a toast to the crowd, buried his shoes in the sand, and greeted the bull with a few high passes in a graceful and bullfighting start.

David de Miranda forgot about his body, became a bullfighter in front of two threatening horns and drove everyone crazy with his crushing sanity.

He took the muleta with his right hand, and it was immediately clear that his opponent was a little reluctant to charge, his face at half-height, his gaze fixed on the man, lacking focus, quality, or willingness to reach an agreement. But David de Miranda then showed clear signs that he wasn't willing to give an inch to the bull's demands.

And he forgot about his body, escaped from the ring, stood alone as a bullfighter in front of two threatening horns and drove everyone present crazy with his crushing sanity.

He invaded the bull's territory, felt the animal's excited breathing in his flesh, swayed between life and death, and starred in an epic performance lasting five, seven minutes perhaps, that seemed like a lifetime.

The big question was whether David de Miranda was aware of the danger he was in or whether what was happening in the ring was a science fiction scene that would vanish at any moment.

Meanwhile, the pulse was racing, the audience was on its feet, hearts pounding, goosebumps rising, and there stood, untamed, a guy with stratospheric courage, horns in his chest, while an unknown passion took hold of the stands.

There were no clean, cohesive series of passes because that was impossible; there was no artistic flourish, but rather an absolute display of power, a disregard for danger, an epic explosion that shattered all the established concepts of today's comfortable bullfighting.

The bull, bad-tempered, yes, but kind-hearted, because he could have overturned him, destroyed him, turned him into dust, but he didn't. He reluctantly accepted the challenge of a madman poisoned by passion and allowed himself to be subdued by the command of devotion, honor, and pride.

With the entire bullring moved, impressed and scared, and the bull surprised by such a strong discharge of human energy, David de Miranda culminated his story of power with some tight manoletinas before throwing himself like what he was, an impetuous giant, onto the animal's muzzle and delivering a slightly low sword thrust that made the president not hesitate: he showed both handkerchiefs at the same time before the stands dyed white and overwhelmed by what they had just witnessed.

Undoubtedly, in the first-class bullring of Málaga, in the middle of the bullfighting festival, something very important and undoubtedly historic had just happened, starring a young man already recognized as an undisputed figure in bullfighting.

David de Miranda returned in the sixth with the same airs. He greeted the bull with a handful of veronicas with his feet together, offered a tribute to his companion Fortes, and, once again, stood in the center of the ring and began the faena with the muleta with some tight, statuesque passes. This bull, too, didn't allow him any confidence, short-stepping, dull, and timid, but the bullfighter once again dressed in his wild boar form and faced the difficulty with commendable attitude. However, this bull didn't forgive him for such audacity and turned him over with malicious intent, so that the bullfighter miraculously escaped the goring, but came away battered and in pain from the close encounter.

Another ear earned through stoic courage, and a glorious exit on the shoulders of a hero through the main gate, capable of performing a feat of the kind you see once in a lifetime, one that captures your heart and moves your soul. David de Miranda left smiling, but the question remains: was he aware of his feat then, or was he merely an alien, a madman poisoned by his thirst for triumph who, perhaps, will never be able to understand how a man can risk his life like that and win glory?

Daniel Luque will replace the injured Morante de la Puebla today, who still has no date for his return after his injury in Pontevedra.

The bullfight was by Victoriano del Río, properly presented, and only the first bull was brave, well-bred, and noble; the others, to a greater or lesser extent, displayed gentleness and complexity.

Manuel Escribano cut an ear from each bull after a committed and vibrant performance, and Roca Rey faced the worst lot and even heard two warnings from the very lackluster fifth, a substitute bull that replaced an invalid that was returned.

Today, Wednesday, the bullfight continues, but it won't be the same. For starters, Morante de la Puebla won't be returning, as expected, and will be replaced by Daniel Luque, who will be accompanied by Talavante and Juan Ortega, with bulls from El Puerto de San Lorenzo. Morante is still recovering from the goring he suffered in Pontevedra on August 10th, and has yet to set a date for his return to the ring.

The final bullfight of the fair is scheduled for Thursday, with a duel between Emilio de Justo and Fortes, with bulls from El Freixo.

Surely by then, David de Miranda's achievement will still be as alive as it is today.