Former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway has claimed he developed his striking technique by trying things out on a video game.

The 28-year-old American fighter has built a career around powerful and accurate striking and he has now revealed on 'The Joe Rogan Experience' podcast that this was developed using the first UFC game.

Holloway said: "You know the UFC game? I’d use Renan Barao and Jose Aldo, and I’d do stuff with them.

"I’ll be like: 'holy hell, this works in the game!' So my friend at the time, Dustin Kimura, he would hold mitts for me and I’d be like: ‘look, I tried this in the game and it was working, let’s try it' and we did it.

"I figured out striking from the regular UFC game, the first UFC game. I would play the video game and be like ‘Oh, look at this’.

"I would try the combination, and I’d be like ‘Oh, this kinda works so let’s try it'. Why not? It got me that far."

Holloway lost to Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 245, ending his reign as the 145-pound champion which saw him defend the title three times against Jose Aldo, Brian Ortega and Frankie Edgar.

It was a first defeat in six years at featherweight for the man known as 'Blessed', who has been evasive about the prospect of a rematch against Australian Volkanovski, who was dominant on the night.

Holloway also suffered defeat against Daniel Poirier for the interim lightweight title back in April in similar fashion, unable to effectively land meaningful blows against his opponent.

Maybe a copy of UFC 3 is on his Christmas list to help him get back to the top.