Some fighters talk about visualization. Yod-IQ Or Pimolsri lives it.
For months, the 23-year-old Thai drilled the same high right kick every morning and every evening alongside his PK Saenchai Muaythaigym teammates. The same setup. The same angle. The same devastating arc that could shut off lights if it landed clean.
On December 19 at ONE Friday Fights 137 at Lumpinee Stadium, it landed exactly as rehearsed.
Just 2:06 into the opening round of his featherweight Muay Thai rematch with Russia’s Alexey Balyko, Yod-IQ caught his opponent with the high kick that forced an immediate stoppage. Revenge secured. Nine-fight winning streak extended. And most importantly — a life-changing $100,000 contract to compete on ONE Championship earned.
The venue made it sweeter. At Lumpinee Stadium, Yod-IQ delivered when the stakes couldn’t have been higher.
“That neck kick, I drilled it with Ajarn Chanwit, Sia Khaek, and [Tawanchai] [PK Saenchai] every single day. Morning and evening, we trained like this until it became instinct,” he said.
“Even though I didn’t know when I’d get the timing to kick, we had to prepare it beforehand. When the real moment came, it came out naturally. I prayed in my heart that he wouldn’t get up because I really wanted to finish the fight.”
That prayer was answered. Balyko’s lights went out instantly.
The knockout improved Yod-IQ’s career record to 126-36 while settling an old score from their first meeting. But it was what happened after the stoppage that changed everything.
Color commentator Mitch Chilson announced that ONE Championship’s boss Chatri Sityodtong had awarded Yod-IQ the coveted six-figure contract on the spot. Twelve grueling assignments on ONE Friday Fights — winning 11 of them — had finally paid off in the most spectacular way possible.
“The moment they announced I got the contract, I screamed because, as I said, at first I didn’t dare to hope. I didn’t think the boss would surprise me like this,” he said.
“I’m very ready. I’ve been ready to seize this opportunity for a long time, and I have to thank all the fans who were an important part in helping to voice their support until I received this contract.”
The contract represents more than financial security. It’s validation that the grinding path through ONE’s weekly showcase at Lumpinee Stadium leads somewhere real for fighters willing to put in the work. Yod-IQ proved that spectacular finishes combined with consistency eventually earn the opportunities that change careers.
Training alongside ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai has given Yod-IQ a front-row seat to what championship-level preparation looks like. Those daily drilling sessions at weren’t just about perfecting one technique — they were about building the instincts and habits that separate contenders from champions.
Now with his place on ONE’s global roster secured, the 23-year-old has his sights locked on Algerian-Thai superstar Nabil Anane’s ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title. But he’s established clear boundaries about how he’ll pursue that dream.
“I only want to face foreign fighters. I don’t want to face Thai fighters. My ultimate goal is to become the World Champion at 145 pounds,” he said.
That stance reflects the complicated dynamics of Thai fighters competing against their countrymen on the global stage — a tension between career ambition and cultural respect that plays out differently at Lumpinee and Rajadamnern than it does on ONE’s international broadcasts.
For now, Yod-IQ isn’t rushing the journey. Twelve fights on ONE Friday Fights taught him patience. He’s ready to employ a strategic build-up toward championship gold, though he already has eyes on two specific matchups that would test his skills while building the resume necessary to challenge for the belt.
“Right now, I want to focus on one fight at a time and continuously develop myself because in the major promotion, there are only skilled fighters. The opponents I’m especially watching are old rivals like [Abdulla Dayakaev] and [Jonathan Haggerty],” he said.
Either fight would provide fascinating stylistic puzzles to solve. Dayakaev brings relentless pressure and granite durability. Haggerty — the bantamweight kickboxing champion — possesses the technical polish and ring IQ that’s carried him to the sport’s highest levels.
But those fights can wait. Friday night at Lumpinee Stadium belonged entirely to Yod-IQ Or Pimolsri, who proved that thousands of hours drilling the same technique pays off when everything matters most.
The high kick that ended Balyko’s night wasn’t luck. It was muscle memory made real under the bright lights of Muay Thai’s most famous stadium. And it launched Yod-IQ toward everything he’s been working for his entire career.
