“Heeyai! Heeyai!”

Those are voices of Trainers whose constant cheers echo within the Matadome.

A sport that’s truly unique to the Ultern Region. Even since ancient times it has been a favorite pastime among Ulternians. Usually taking place in Matadomes around the region, anyone can take part in these battles as long as they come ready with their strongest and toughest Tauros with them.

History

It is said that ever since Paldean diplomats have introduced their combative Tauros to the Ulternian Kingdom back in ancient times, they have been tamed and trained to help farmers plow fields and carry goods to neighboring towns. As such they have become an essential part of the Ulternian livelihood.

An old tale goes like this — two farmers from a rural town argued over whose Tauros is the strongest, and settled it out by pitting their Pokémon against each other in a circular clearing. Both farmers cheered for their Pokémon with as much spirit and vigor as they could, until finally one of the Tauros bowed out, overwhelmed by the strength of its opponent. In the end, the farmers shook hands and settled their differences as they expressed how much they had fun with that battle together.

The exact dates of when of these Matadome Battles originated are hazy, but the earliest recorded match was around 251 years ago in Tingala Island.

Battling

In battle, challengers are also known as Seko, an Ulternian word for Wild Bull Handlers. All matches take place within large stadium rings called the Matadome. There are a number of Matadomes across the region, and all follow the same rules listed below.

<aside> 🐂 The rules for Matadome Battling are simple:

1. Only two Trainers must compete in a single match.
2. Each Trainer must send out a Tauros of any form or breed.
3. Once both opposing Tauros start locking horns, each Trainer must cheer for their own Tauros to boost their strength and spirit.
4. Trainers are also allowed to command their Tauros to use their attacks.
5. The ultimate goal is for one of the Tauros to either concede from the battle on their own, or get knocked out. </aside>

The winner of the match will earn a cash prize of P10,000, any item (Battle Items, Evolution Stones, Treasures, etc.), a decorative banner that can be worn onto the winning Tauros, and a commemorative photo of the winning Tauros which will be featured in the Hall of Fame both within the Matadome it had competed in, and online on social media sites.

Matadome Locations

While the Matadome is open at any day, the Matadome competitions only take place every Saturday and Sunday at 9am to 4pm. This scheduling applies to all Matadomes across the region.

• Chura Matadome — Adanook Town, Chura Island