Bull fighting has some pretty ancient roots going back to pre roman times where the animals were worshiped and sacrificed to the gods. More modern bullfighting began about 300 years ago with a two fold purpose of entertainment and charity. Only rich land holders could afford to train bulls and matadors so the rich would partake of the sport while the working class would watch and then be feed from the bulls sacrificed in the arena.
These days, its a tradition revered by some classes of society form ahistorical context. Much like how we view our oversized, fuel swilling classic cars.