Brian Johnson has been making a name for himself across social media, specifically within the influencer. Famously known as the “Liver King,” Johnson’s notoriety stems from his massive physique and claims that he earned it by partaking in an “ancestral lifestyle.” That declaration brought him into conflict with podcast host Joe Rogan and, just recently, Johnson threatened Rogan and declared he’d travel to Austin to fight him. Now, Johnson has been arrested, and he’s facing a significant charge in relation to his comments.
The Liver King was taken into custody in Austin on June 24, with The Hollywood Reporter verifying that his arrest was indeed due to his threats against Joe Rogan. According to the trade, Brian Johnson has specifically been charged with making a terroristic threat, which represents a Class B Misdemeanor. Detectives with the Austin Police Department reportedly spoke with Rogan, who said he “had never had any interaction with Johnson” and believed his social media posts to be “threatening.” With that, an arrest warrant was obtained.
A Johnson/Rogan beef has persisted for a little while now, as the two have exchanged words with each other over social media. As mentioned by THR, much of that saga was featured in a documentary that was just released amid the 2025 TV schedule, Untold: The Liver King, which is streamable with a Netflix subscription. As for the “threatening” content, that was shared in a series of Instagram videos. In the first video, in which Johnson dances around while shirtless, he says, “Joe Rogan, I’m picking a fight with you! … I’ll come to you”.
In another video from the Liver King, he re-emphasizes to Rogan that “we’re coming to you.” Johnson even declares that he’s “willing to die” and is hoping the podcaster will “choke” him out. You can watch this clip below:
Brian Johnson rose to prominence after going viral for eating raw meat in videos, and he subsequently parlayed that notoriety into a supplement empire. Joe Rogan chastised Johnson on multiple occasions, as he claimed the fitness influencer used steroids to build muscle as opposed to a holistic lifestyle. Johnson took issue with that, but leaked emails later revealed that Johnson did use steroids and human growth hormone, forcing him to confess his drug usage.
Joe Rogan’s critiques of the Liver King don’t represent the first time that the media pundit has ever taken shots at a public figure. Part of Rogan’s persona and eponymous podcast is dishing out unfiltered views on current events. Just earlier this year, Rogan critiqued Jennifer Lopez following her divorce from Ben Affleck. Rogan himself has also received criticism from others, with even Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson taking him to task for making claims related to his fan-favorite TV show.
When it comes to the Man Show alum’s conflict with Brian Johnson, the investigation remains open. Per TMZ, Johnson was arrested without incident at the Four Seasons Hotel, and he was transported to the Travis County Jail.
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