Last night at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, fans witnessed ONE Friday Fights 70, which featured an intriguing catchweight (132.2lbs) Muay Thai bout between teenage phenom Focus Pk Wor Apinya and Scotland native and experienced striker Stephen ‘El Matador’ Irvine, representing Deachkalek Muay Thai Academy.

Living up to his gym’s reputation, Stephen Irvine delivered a dominant performance at ONE Friday Fights 70. From the opening bell, he controlled the fight against Focus PK Wor Apinya. Irvine’s sharp hand combinations paid off in the first round when a clean left hook sent Focus crashing to the canvas. This decisive knockout victory marked Irvine’s fourth win in the promotion, with just a single loss on his record.

Stephen Irvine’s knockout reignited memories of teammate Nico Carrillo’s recent KO win at ONE Fight Night 23. Both Irvine and Carrillo train under the tutelage of JP Gallacher at Deachkalek Muay Thai Academy. Fans were buzzing after ONE Championship uploaded an Instagram video showcasing Irvine’s powerful left that knocked out Focus Pk Wor Apinya.

Fans are disappointed by Stephen Irvine’s contract omission

Stephen “El Matador” Irvine began his professional career in 2023 with a knockout victory over Pettong Kiatsongrit. Notably, three of his four wins have come by knockout, mirroring the success of his teammate and fellow countryman Nico Carrillo. A perceptive fan couldn’t help but connect the dots, commenting, “Scots are smashing it.”

Another fan praised JP Gallacher’s coaching brilliance, highlighting the similarities in technique between Irvine and Carrillo. He commented, “The similar feint and left hook to Nico Carrillo, great work fighter and coach.” Meanwhile, another Carrillo fan directly referenced the “King of the North” signature move, saying, “Very similar to @nicocarrillo_kotn left hook.”

However, not everyone was celebrating. Some fans believed Stephen Irvine deserved a ONE Championship contract after his impressive performance. They voiced their opinions in the comments, with one urging, “Time to give him that contract.” Another echoed the sentiment, stating, “Should have got the contract.“

Not all comments were serious; some fans injected humor into the discussion. One commenter jokingly suggested Irvin face heavyweight contender from Senegal, Boucher Ketchup, asserting “Seen enough, give him Boucher Ketchup.” Meanwhile, another fan tagged ONE’s Chatri Sityodtong, asking, “Please bring ONE FC to the UK @yodchatri.“

Do you also think that Stephen Irvine deserves a contract after his knockout win at ONE Friday Fights 70? Let us know in the comments.