Liver King Arrested in Texas After Issuing Bizarre Video Challenge to Joe Rogan

25 June 2025

Influencer Liver King has been arrested after appearing to make threats in a video. Credit: Instagram

Brian Johnson, the Instagram-famous fitness personality better known as the “Liver King,” was arrested on June 24 in Austin, Texas, after posting alarming and confrontational videos targeting renowned podcaster Joe Rogan. The arrest, which took place outside a downtown hotel, stems from charges of making a terroristic threat a Class B misdemeanor under Texas law.

Johnson’s rise to fame came through his promotion of an ancestral lifestyle, one that showcased a raw-organ meat diet and primal physical training. With over six million followers on TikTok and Instagram, he projected a larger-than-life image. But cracks in that facade began to show in late 2022, when leaked emails revealed he was spending an estimated $11,000 each month on steroids and human growth hormone all while publicly claiming an all-natural regimen. He later admitted to these practices, but not before suffering a serious blow to his credibility.

The incident unfolded when Johnson posted a video from Austin, challenging Rogan directly to what he described as a “man-to-man” fight. He donned a wolf head, held two gold-plated guns, and admitted he lacked martial arts training while daring Rogan, a trained black belt, to dismantle him “your rules… whenever you’re ready.” That challenge manifested over a series of erratic and increasingly distressing videos.

Authorities responded swiftly, interpreting the video as credible enough to qualify as a terroristic threat. Around 8:30 p.m., Austin Police arrested Johnson under a $20,000 bond, and he was booked into Travis County Jail afterward. Video footage that circulated from the arrest shows a disheveled Johnson wearing a burgundy hoodie and tactical vest, standing calm as he was handcuffed and removed from the premises.

The arrest sparked concern not just over public safety, but Johnson’s mental state. In some post-arrest clips, fans observed him clutching a screwdriver, pacing, and clinging to loved ones in an unsteady embrace an unsettling behavior prompting worry over his well-being . Law enforcement has remained tight-lipped on the specifics, but even local news stations flagged the behavior as “bizarre” and “cryptic” language usually reserved for those in crisis .

Johnson’s history adds troubling context. He once claimed a net worth of $310 million, yet insiders and analysts estimated it closer to $12 million. He also faces a $25 million class-action lawsuit filed in 2022 when revelations of steroid use shattered the trust of investors and followers. The confluence of financial pressure, legal exposure, and public humiliation may have contributed to the erratic behavior now under legal scrutiny.

For Rogan, the confrontation is unlikely to result in direct consequences he has neither responded publicly nor engaged with the threats. But for Johnson, the fallout is immediate and potentially severe. Texas law stipulates that a terroristic threat conviction can carry up to 180 days in jail and a fine as steep as $2,000.

Experts caution that this incident reignites debates over influencer accountability. When online personalities accumulate millions of followers, their words carry amplified weight both culturally and legally. Johnson’s social media challenge represented more than a reckless stunt; some legal analysts suggest it could meet the threshold for inciting panic or inconvenience, particularly given Rogan’s well-known presence in Austin .

As the legal process unfolds, Johnson’s lips have remained sealed. He offered no comments during arrest and continues to be held pending bail and court proceedings. Observers say the weeks ahead will be telling. Will this be viewed as a cautionary tale about the perils of influencer excess or merely another celebrity spectacle?

Brian Johnson’s transformation from revered fitness guru to arrested influencer is a sudden blow to his ancestral empire. It raises troubling questions about the pressures of fame, the temptation to provoke extreme spectacles, and the consequences that emerge when online bravado meets legal reality.

For now, the world watches as the “Liver King” braces for legal reckoning his empire grounded, his voice quiet, and the roar of his primal following reduced to whispers in a jail cell.