Liver King ARRESTED for Threatening Joe Rogan

From raw meat to handcuffs—Brian “Liver King” Johnson’s social media spectacle just took a wild and dangerous turn.

AUSTIN, TX — Self-proclaimed “ancestral lifestyle” influencer Brian Johnson—better known as the shirtless, beef-chomping Liver King—was arrested Tuesday night after allegedly making violent threats toward podcaster and UFC commentator Joe Rogan.

Austin police confirmed Johnson, 47, was taken into custody at the Four Seasons Hotel around 6:00 p.m. He had posted a string of Instagram videos challenging Rogan to a physical fight, including one in which he aggressively declared: “Man to man, I’m picking a fight with you.”

The video, posted Monday, was flagged by concerned followers. “I’ll fight you whenever you’re ready,” Johnson added, despite having zero formal combat training. Rogan, by contrast, holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has decades of martial arts experience.

Police Say Rogan Felt “Threatened”

According to a statement from the Austin Police Department, detectives reviewed Johnson’s posts and found “escalating rhetoric” as he traveled to Austin. Officials reached out to Rogan, who said he had never interacted with Johnson and found the posts threatening.

“Based on the evidence, detectives secured a warrant for Johnson’s arrest on a charge of terroristic threat,” police confirmed. Johnson now faces a Class B misdemeanor charge. He remains in custody at Travis County Jail pending further investigation.

A final Instagram video shows Johnson pacing his hotel room just before the arrest, shirtless and agitated. He talks about going to prison and fighting Rogan. Moments later, officers handcuff him and lead him outside.

From Raw Meat to Legal Heat

This isn’t the Liver King’s first time under fire. Johnson gained notoriety in 2021 for promoting a controversial raw meat diet and boasting that his “ancestral tenets”—which included liver consumption, sun exposure, and intense workouts—were responsible for his cartoonishly massive physique.

But the facade cracked in late 2022 when he admitted to secretly using steroids—after repeatedly denying it to his millions of fans.

“I lied,” he confessed in a widely circulated apology video viewed over 4 million times. “I’ve been on steroids, and it was wrong.” The fallout was immediate. Lawsuits, online backlash, and accusations of dangerous misinformation soon followed.

Experts Warned for Years

Medical professionals have long sounded alarms about Johnson’s lifestyle. Dr. Harrison Pope, a Harvard psychiatrist who studies body dysmorphia and steroid abuse, told ABC News in 2023: “This level of obsession can lead to significant psychological distress, not to mention the physical toll of prolonged steroid use.”

Health experts have also condemned his raw meat promotion, citing risks of E. coli and other bacterial infections. Johnson had previously dismissed these concerns as “modern fear-mongering.”

A Fame Spiral Unraveling

Once a rising influencer with a growing empire of supplements and viral videos, Johnson’s brand has now veered into chaos. While some hardcore fans still defend him, most of his following has splintered.

His recent behavior, including the Rogan threats, suggests a dramatic fall from grace—and a possible descent into self-destruction.

The Austin Police Department has declined further comment, calling it an “active investigation.” As of Wednesday morning, Johnson remained behind bars with no bond set.

One former fan summed it up bluntly in a Reddit thread: “The Liver King sold us primal living—and now he’s acting like a caveman on crack.”

Stay tuned for updates.