Provoke would be the best word to use. The context of "stimulate" would be, like, you got motivated in a positive way into doing something; it interested you or it excited you to do something. "Irritated" is a feeling of annoyance or anger. The sentence needs a few more tweaks if you'd like to use "irritated". "His rudeness irritated me, forcing me to strike him." "Provoke" means creating a reaction; being motivated in a negative way. It's a kind of "being stimulated" in a negative/bad way.

"His rudeness provoked me enough, to make me strike him" "His rudeness irritated me enough, to make me strike him" The second one would not be used.