Austin, TX – Social media influencer Brian Johnson, known to millions as the “Liver King,” was arrested Tuesday evening at the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin after allegedly making threats against podcast host Joe Rogan via social media.
Officers from the Austin Police Department took the 47-year-old into custody around 6 p.m., following an Instagram video in which Johnson said:
“Man to man, I’m picking a fight with you.”
Despite having no formal martial arts training, Johnson challenged Rogan—an experienced black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu—saying he would fight Rogan “whenever you’re ready.”
According to police, Johnson’s posts were reviewed by detectives, who confirmed he was traveling to Austin while continuing to make threatening statements. Rogan, who has had no known personal interaction with Johnson, told authorities he considered the videos threatening.
Based on this evidence, officers obtained a warrant and charged Johnson with making a terroristic threat, a Class B misdemeanor in Texas. A video posted to Johnson’s Instagram account captured the moments before his arrest, including him pacing, speaking about “impending prison time,” and being handcuffed by police.
Johnson remains in Travis County Jail as the investigation continues. The Austin Police Department declined further comment, citing the ongoing nature of the case.
Johnson rose to fame through his promotion of an “ancestral lifestyle” involving raw meat consumption and intense workouts, often boasting of building his physique naturally. However, he faced major backlash in December 2022 after admitting to steroid use, contradicting years of public claims.
The confession video has since been viewed more than 4 million times, leading to legal scrutiny and criticism from former followers.
Medical experts have long warned against Johnson’s practices. In 2023, Dr. Harrison Pope, a psychiatry professor at Harvard Medical School, raised concerns about body image disorders and steroid abuse, while other doctors have highlighted the health risks of raw meat consumption, including bacterial infections.
This latest arrest marks another significant fall from grace for the once-viral fitness influencer.
