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Bullfighter Survives Terrifying Face Goring: Horn Went Through His Jaw, Came Out Next to His Eyeball

Bullfighter Survives Terrifying Face Goring: Horn Went Through His Jaw, Came Out Next to His Eyeball

Spanish bullfighter Juan Jose Padilla was gored in the face by a bull during a bullfight on Friday, Oct. 7, 2011, suffering eye, bone, muscle and skin damage. (AP Photo/Elena Munoz)

MADRID (AP) — A Spanish bullfighter is likely to suffer facial paralysis and lose the sight in one eye after a terrifying goring, the hospital treating him said Saturday.

Television images showed the moment when the bull‘s left horn ripped into Juan Jose Padilla’s lower jaw to emerge beside his protruding eyeball as spectators in the northeastern city of Zaragoza screamed in horror.

Padilla is in a stable condition and recovering from a five-hour operation to repair his face, the statement from the Miguel Servet Hospital said.

It said Padilla, 39, suffered eye, bone, muscle and skin damage when the bull pinned him to the ground and gored him. Surgeons had not been able to repair a severed facial nerve.

TV footage also showed Padilla getting up from the ring, his face gushing blood, as the bull was distracted by bullring assistants.

“I can’t see, I can’t see anything,” the matador shouted as he was rushed to emergency facilities at Zaragoza’s Misericordia bullring before being driven to the hospital.

The bull, named Marques, weighed 508 kilograms (1,120 pounds) and was the second fighting beast Padilla had faced late Friday, during the second day of the annual Virgen del Pilar festivities in Zaragoza.

Surgeons used titanium plates and mesh to reconstruct parts of Padilla’s facial bone structure and eye socket, doctors Simon Sanz and Nadal Cristobal said in a very detailed, signed statement.

Padilla was lucky the horn did not penetrate his brain, said Vicente Yesteras, one of Padilla’s retinue of bullring helpers.

Video below. Content warning — disturbing images.

Comments (148)

  • CANDLEMAKER
    Posted on October 8, 2011 at 1:34pm

    When you slowly TORTURE an animal on PURPOSE, sometimes the animal actually once in a while gets to give you your payback in spades!!!!! I do NOT feel sorry for anyone who engages in this practice!!! Perhaps Spain could look for something more HUMANE to entertain themselves with??

    Report Post »  
    • SHOOTnCRASH
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 1:51pm

      I agree. I love it when the animal gets the upper hand, claw, hoof, paw.. I will not go to circuses because I hate to see some of the most awesome animals on the planet doing friggin poodle tricks. I’m no whack job animals rights person either.

      Report Post » SHOOTnCRASH  
    • Doctor Nordo
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 1:57pm

      Absolutely agree. This is a truly barbaric sport, and anyone who is injured doing it is getting exactly what he has coming.

      Report Post » Doctor Nordo  
    • crackerone
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 2:29pm

      Another peta ad?

      Report Post »  
    • RabidPatriot
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 2:50pm

      Go Bulls!

      Report Post » RabidPatriot  
    • CottonMPG
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 3:39pm

      It’s the risk you take when you provoke an animal that outweighs you by over 2,000 lbs. I do not view animals as the equal of human beings and so do not feel excited and happy that the guy was injured but the bull will recover and get to fight again. No beef for dinner that night.

      Report Post » CottonMPG  
    • Eliasim
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 4:03pm

      I call it beast fighting beast and the bigger more well armed beast won. Because if it had been Man fighting beast the Man would have just drawn a .300 magnum and blew the beast away.

      Report Post »  
    • cologoddess
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 4:05pm

      Amen!! Well said! I despise bull fighting!

      Report Post » cologoddess  
    • Fly Old Glory 24/7 365
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 4:11pm

      It’s NOT a sport……………

      Report Post »  
    • Eliasim
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 4:13pm

      But on the other hand, a Man wouldn’t fight a beast because a Man separates himself from the beast.

      Report Post »  
    • Eliasim
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 4:21pm

      And when a Man raises up his spirit (if he can) , a beast will separate itself from the Man. Therefore a Bull and any other beast will have dread of the Man and run away.

      Report Post »  
    • robert
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 5:11pm

      This is no more than torturing an animal that is at a distinct disadvantage. Anybody who is run over or gored by the “run of the bulls” or in a bullfight deserves what he gets.

      This barbaric animal cruelty has got to stop.

      Report Post »  
    • 2tuxedomama
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 8:37pm

      You got that right! I ALWAYS root for the bull. This barbaric “entertainment” is right up there with the Christians and the lions. When ANY misery, human or animal, is billed as entertainment, we all take a giant step backward. Come’on people, we’re better than this. Spain – shape up!!!

      Report Post »  
    • rangerp
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 9:11pm

      If the bull did not win once in a while, it would not be fun to watch.

      Like they say, “mess with the bull, and you get the horn”

      Report Post » rangerp  
    • chazman
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 9:17pm

      … yeah … sucks to be you, matador …

      Report Post »  
    • dr emil shuffhausen
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 9:54pm

      what he said…

      Report Post » dr emil shuffhausen  
    • teamarcheson
      Posted on October 9, 2011 at 12:18am

      Its Fake!

      Bull fighting is just like professional wrestling in America, fake.

      Report Post »  
    • moonlight on the bay
      Posted on October 9, 2011 at 2:19am

      I agree with Candlemaker and ShootnCrash – I don’t feel sorry for the matador. You’re supposed to put all those things (spears for lack of the correct word) into the bull and you don’t expect trouble from the animal??? This “sport”, if it’s actually called that, should be outlawed. If two guys wanna fight each other in the bullring, fine. They’ve both consented to it. The bull has no say. I’m siding with bull. Same for the “idiotas” running from the bulls in Pamplona. I’m rooting for the bulls then. You put yourself up against a thousand pound animal, you accept the risks. If this matador‘s lookin’ for sympathy, someone should hand him a dictionary. Maybe he’ll find it with his one remaining eye. Maybe one day bullfighting will be outlawed. Had to be pretty traumatic for the spectators to see.

      Report Post »  
    • pamela kay
      Posted on October 9, 2011 at 2:39am

      Thank-you for that statement. These animals are being abused and tortured for the entertainment of individuals with very sick minds. I am sorry this man was hurt but he knew that going in. Fame at what expense? My question to him would be simply “Was it worth it?”

      Report Post » pamela kay  
    • Ookspay
      Posted on October 9, 2011 at 5:47pm

      Right On! Chalk one up for the good guys!

      Report Post » Ookspay  
    • margaret1977
      Posted on October 10, 2011 at 12:05am

      Guy really deserved it !

      Report Post » margaret1977  
    • highwayman
      Posted on October 10, 2011 at 8:47am

      Agree with you 100%

      Report Post »  
    • ACLUHater
      Posted on October 10, 2011 at 3:42pm

      It’s sick, but they know the risk. Sucks to be him.

      Report Post »  
  • njconserv
    Posted on October 8, 2011 at 1:32pm

    they call this sport torturing an animal , no sympathy here for the human

    Report Post »  
  • operatorbob1
    Posted on October 8, 2011 at 1:31pm

    this bull was not sh@#ing.

    Report Post »  
  • JustJP
    Posted on October 8, 2011 at 1:23pm

    1 horn to the face vs 3 swords in the back. Bull-1…. matador… dumbass-0

    Report Post »  
  • SirFlannel
    Posted on October 8, 2011 at 1:20pm

    I‘m gonna guess that’ll screw up the depth perception

    Report Post »  
    • hannahh
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 6:42pm

      I can’t see…him bullfighting again. Go bull!

      Report Post »  
  • libertytreecaretaker
    Posted on October 8, 2011 at 1:20pm

    you mess with the bull get the horn!

    Report Post »  
    • Jenny Lind
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 4:49pm

      Old saying and in this case more than a little true! I am not a peta kinda nut, but I think this is exactly what these people deserve, I think to torture an animal is beyond cruel and has no place in this world. We are supposed to be stewards of the world and everything in it, and I do not think this counts as good stewardship. I cannot see a single thing worthy in this, proving bravery can be done in many other ways. time to ditch this so-called sport.

      Report Post »  
  • airhead0
    Posted on October 8, 2011 at 1:19pm

    gosh, I guess Bulls get kinda p’d when you attempt to kill them slowly in front of a cheering audience. I’m not a crazy P E T A but I care about the treatment of animals and as far as im concerned the bull got a little justice before he was slaughtered.

    Report Post » airhead0  
  • Secessionista
    Posted on October 8, 2011 at 1:11pm

    WOW, after goring the tip of the horn into, through, and then out the other side of the mans face, the bull literally pulls his entire horn right through the face laterally, ripping out flesh as he does so. Amazing power.

    Report Post » Secessionista  
    • tijonyc
      Posted on October 9, 2011 at 2:00am

      Haven’t you seen a bullfight? The bull can lift a horse and rider clear off the ground, and flip the horse. These aren’t helpless poor little bulls.

      Report Post »  
  • snowflake220
    Posted on October 8, 2011 at 1:10pm

    One last comment….you NEVER wear pink and red together. Didn’t the bull fighter know that?

    Report Post »  
  • snowflake220
    Posted on October 8, 2011 at 1:09pm

    The only disturbing scene I saw was the poor bull bleeding to death. Did I miss something? Was there something more disturbing that I missed?

    Innocent animal being tortured to death. How inhumane is that!

    Report Post »  
    • Wayne
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 3:33pm

      I would like to see every one of those **** in the tight pants get the horn. That don’t take a man to kill a bull after they bleed him till he is to weak to fight, and then the great man sticks a sword into the half dead bull. Bring you weenie A## to the country in the USA and we can let you hunt some wild boar or some bulls that are not bleeding.

      Report Post »  
  • brian8793
    Posted on October 8, 2011 at 1:08pm

    If you’re NOT a vegatarian, then you NO right talking crap on these ATHLETES. These bulls live a much longer life than most of the bulls in America. They also eat better food and hump more cows. They are pretty much rock stars in the bull world, if you willl

    You guys sound like a bunch of bleeding heart PETA FREAKS

    Report Post » brian8793  
    • No_Comment
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 1:20pm

      Well, I guess that was said for the guys back in the Roman days, that were put in the arena to fight the Lions for “Sport”. Also, the guy had a choice to fight, the bull didn’t. Go Bulls !

      Report Post »  
    • airhead0
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 1:23pm

      are you kidding? I’m no vegan, but wrong is wrong! These animals are tortured to death. When a cow is destroyed in the US it is quick and painless, i’ve seen it. It isn’t for the faint of heart but there heads are removed so quickly they never know what hits them. so please you don’t have to be an extremist to have compassion.

      looser!

      Report Post » airhead0  
    • SerikFox
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 1:49pm

      I’m usually quite nice, honest. But, I actually just created an account for the sole purpose of responding to that BS that you just posted. I take care of bulls every single day – IN AMERICA. Don‘t tell me some BS story about how bulls in america don’t often live that long or get as good of lives. Do you know how the bulls here live? Better than I do. Bull fighting is one of the sickest things that people can do. Btw, do *I* have a right to comment on this? I only take care of cows and bulls every single day (and not a small number) but since I’m not vegan, I guess I don’t have any right to talk about how evil this all is. Sir, either learn about what you are saying, or piss off.

      I don’t feel bad for that guy at all. He totally had it coming. Same goes for any bull fighters. Sick bastards.

      Report Post »  
    • lbouldin
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 2:09pm

      You sir, need mental help. It is animal cruelty; that is why it is outlawed in the US.

      Report Post »  
    • niki
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 3:23pm

      You are an idiot. There is a difference between killing an animal for food or clothing, and killing an animal for the selfish, prideful, worldliness of man and cheering its pain and suffering on. These disgusting people are like the Romans and their violent games at the colosseum. I am always happy when they get what is coming to them. I can’t imagine God being pleased with how barbaric we are to each other, including the beautiful animals he created. Some day these people will pay.

      Report Post »  
    • lcovar
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 6:40pm

      lets pretend that you are a toro. Would you like to be torture like that??

      Report Post »  
  • Secessionista
    Posted on October 8, 2011 at 1:08pm

    So this guy, after the bullfight, goes to the nearest restaurant to eat. The guy next to him gets the special of the day. The first guy asks for the special of the day too, but the waitress tells him there is only one special of the day each day and it has already been ordered. He’s asks what it is and the waitress tells him it is the testicles of the bull that lost the bullfight that day. So the guy comes in the next day a littler earlier and asks for the special of the day. The waitress comes out with his plate and sets it down. The man looks up at her and says “hey, the meal for the guy yesterday was MUCH bigger!”. The waitress says “yes, but sometimes the bull wins.”.

    Report Post » Secessionista  
  • Mojoarum
    Posted on October 8, 2011 at 1:04pm

    Good for the Bull!, yeah go Bull!

    Report Post »  
  • Fly Old Glory 24/7 365
    Posted on October 8, 2011 at 1:01pm

    3 cheers for the bull and this is NOT a sport…

    Report Post »  
  • YesNdeedie
    Posted on October 8, 2011 at 12:59pm

    Hoooooray for the bull…….It takes a heathen of low life character to injure/kill an animal in such a sadistic, violent way. I’ve always felt sorry for the bull unless it came in the form of a steak on my plate. As a sport, bull fighting sucks and should be put down, Ah, where is exactly PETA on this?

    Report Post »  
  • COFemale
    Posted on October 8, 2011 at 12:56pm

    Never liked this “sport”, never will, never watched it. As far as I am concerned they take a risk every time they enter the ring. I am sorry he is hurt yes, Am I sorry the bull decided to take revenge, NO.

    Let this be a lesson to all those bullfighters – one day your day will come.

    If feel the same way about rodeo’s. If you had your balls wrenched up to your abdomen, you’d buck also. I think all the bull riders should have their balls strapped up also when they ride a bull and when the bull bucks the reigns are pulled up to give them the same feeling the bull feels. Lets see how long this sport last. When the rider gets hurt by the bull, so be it. Bull riding is cruel and should stop. The calf roping, the barrel racing and all other non-cruel actions should remain. I lived in Vegas when a rider was stepped on in his head several times by the bull he was riding; he died. Pointless and unnecessary death.

    Report Post » COFemale  
    • johnannegalt
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 1:00pm

      Hmm, don’t want to be gore? Maybe you shouldn’t taunt, stab and torture a roughly 2500lb bull to death for fun. I don’t believe animals have rights, since they’re property, but what does that say about your own mental stability when one is so willing to not only torture a living being, but destroy one’s own property..?

      Report Post » johnannegalt  
  • Kangana
    Posted on October 8, 2011 at 12:45pm

    In some ways this is less barbaric than other animal sports. I mean, the bull actually has a fighting chance and sometimes he wins. And when he wins he actually gets to inflict a lot of the same painful torture he has to endure. It’s also rare that a bull would be killed after something like this. He might even be released to live out his natural life or be bred for more bulls. I‘d say that’s fair. I also heard one time that when the bulls die thel meat is given to the poor.

    It‘s still barbaric and shouldn’t happen, but it’s no sillier than boxing or MMA where two humans beat the crap out of each other for money. Talk about stupid sports. We‘re supposed to be so evolved that we don’t face bulls in hand to horn combat but we’re not evolved enough to stop beating each other into brain damage for “fun.” I’d say bullfighting is par for the course on stupid, useless and dangerous sports.

    Report Post »  
    • macpappy
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 12:51pm

      Are you kidding? The whole point is the death of the bull; and after you have speared him up to a dozen times, even if he wins, he is put down. What other animal sports are more barbaric, cuz I can’t think of a one, legal that is.

      Report Post » macpappy  
    • Quiata
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 5:34pm

      From Wikipedia, FYI, regarding Spanish bullfighting: “Very rarely, if the public or the matador believe that the bull has fought extremely bravely, they may petition the president of the event to grant the bull a pardon (indulto) and if granted the bull’s life is spared and it is allowed to leave the ring alive and return to the ranch where it came from. Then the bull becomes a stud bull for the rest of its life.”

      Report Post »  
  • TJexcite
    Posted on October 8, 2011 at 12:27pm

    You got to love the irony that they are doing a old barbaric sport that if that happened centuries ago he would have died but they are using modern medicine to save him from dying.

    Report Post » TJexcite  
  • drago
    Posted on October 8, 2011 at 12:20pm

    Love it when this happens.

    Report Post »  
  • Quencher
    Posted on October 8, 2011 at 12:20pm

    These bulls are bred to attempt to kill bullfighters. They are not “just bulls” but a special breed. Any “bullfighter” that decides to try killing one of these bulls knows full well what he is exposing himself to.
    Many of the fans are there to see the bull win and cheer wildly for the bull. A lot like some of the same type of people that attend sports events where bullfighting is not allowed. Very little difference. It still satisfies a need by some to see blood flow. Just another form of vicarious fulfillment. A ballet that always ends with the flow of blood. Not too different from other forms of “sport”. Hope he recovers.

    Report Post » Quencher  
  • capecodsully
    Posted on October 8, 2011 at 12:17pm

    Yeah but the poor bull was slowly tortured and bled to death. People who get off on the suffering and mutilation of animals (like Michael Vick) are sick and savage.

    Report Post »  
  • gmoneytx
    Posted on October 8, 2011 at 12:14pm

    Yeah, looks like that hurt, but the bull looks like he’s hurt too, but I bet he DIDN’T survive!

    Report Post » gmoneytx  
  • macpappy
    Posted on October 8, 2011 at 12:11pm

    Well, you arogant bastard; you got what was coming to you. After all, it’s not a bullfight if the bull does not fight back, right?

    Report Post » macpappy  
    • Rogue
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 12:21pm

      So what’s the overall score now – bullfighters: 10,427, bulls: 1 ?

      Bull fighting would be much more interesting if matadors had to attempt to kill the bull with nothing but thier bare hands and silly red capes. Two animals go in the ring, only one comes out. Now that is a sport I would watch.

      Report Post » Rogue  
    • macpappy
      Posted on October 8, 2011 at 12:56pm

      @rogue
      Yes, and a dog fight would be fairer if the dog got to fight the s.o.b that brought him to the fight.
      You listening Vic?

      Report Post » macpappy  
  • YepImaConservative
    Posted on October 8, 2011 at 12:03pm

    Stop your whining Juan… you live by the horn… you might die by the horn. Or in this case, having your mug mugged by the bull.

    Report Post » YepImaConservative  
  • 111gecko
    Posted on October 8, 2011 at 11:58am

    I really don’t feel bad for him….

    Report Post »  

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