A sold-out crowd in the La Monumental arena in Barcelona cheered on three famous matadors as they drove swords into six bulls, in an emotional farewell to the region's centuries-old blood sport.

Sunday was the final day of fights before bullfighting is banned across the northeastern region of Catalonia.

The three matadors each put two bulls to death by the sword in the 20-thousand seat arena.

The regional legislature banned bullfighting last year after Catalans signed a petition against it. The ban takes effect January 1, but Sunday's fights were the last scheduled event of the 2011 season in the Catalan capital.

Bullfight supporters are still hoping they can overturn the ban before it goes into effect.

Bullfighting still will be legal everywhere else in Spain except in the Canary Islands, where it was banned in 1991.