Artwork by Sonny Chargualaf of local UFC fighter Jon Tuck.

By Patrick Lujan

Longtime MMA/boxing/Muay Thai  trainer and coach Sonny Chargualaf knows how to work the mits and the pads when preparing his fighters for battle.

He’s also very good at the fine craft of art.

In fact, he’s been teaching Art at JFK High School for 14 years now and he’s just recently combined the two traits together with some cool digital artwork featuring the island’s MMA fighters.

” I draw almost daily,” said Chargualaf, who heads the Team Countershot camp with the likes of Jon Delos Reyes, Ricky Camp, Josh Alvarez and Robert Wusstig. “The artwork is all digital. The covers are reimagined covers of iconic comic book covers that I thought would fit local and worldwide MMA fights and the culture. I’ve been doing digital art on my laptop almost exclusively for the past three years.”

As for piecing the two fields together, it was a no-brainer since Chargualaf spends countless hours doing two things he loves.

“Local and international MMA has a pretty deep culture, and I’m lucky enough to train/teach some local amateurs and pros. So the martial arts lifestyle, along with my love of comic books, movies, games, etc. all work together and influence the pieces I produced.”

Chargualaf says it takes about a week from conception to completion on his pieces of work. He had a showing at Guma Tasa Coffee Shop in Mangilao in December and plans to start selling prints there shortly.

Chargualaf and girlfriend Lani Sablan were fortunate enough to meet comic legend Stan Lee. (courtesy photo)

Stan Lee

Like millions of other artists, Chargualaf pulls his inspiration from American comics icon Stan Lee, co-creator of comic books such as Spider-Man, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Hulk and many others.

“He kind of feels like he’s every comic fan’s grandfather. So glad to have met him. Not sure if my life’s direction would have been the same without his creation and involvement with Marvel Comics.”

Chargualaf depicts local MMA athletes in this digital piece. Top is former Shooto fighter Jess Taitano (Ground Fu). L-R standing: Former Trench Warz 135lb champ/One FC fighter Josh Alvarez (Countershot/UA), PXC 135lb champ Kyle Aguon (Spike22), Bellator/PXC 145lb champ Joe Taimanglo (Spike 22), UFC fighter Jon Tuck (UA/MMA lab), UFC fighter Jon Delos Reyes (Countershot/UA/Sono BJJ)