Bodycam and interrogation footage has surfaced showing the arrest of fitness influencer Brian “Liver King” Johnson after he traveled to Austin, Texas, in June 2025 with stated intentions of picking a brawl with podcast host Joe Rogan.
According to sources, on June 23rd, 2025, the 47-year-old Johnson posted a video to Instagram directed at Rogan.
“Joe Rogan, I’m calling you out. My name’s Liver King. Man to man. I’m picking a fig ht with you. I have zero training in jiu-jitsu. You’re a black belt. You should dismantle me, but I’m picking a fig ht with you,” he said.
The following day, Johnson posted another video confirming he had arrived in Austin. Officers with the Austin Police Department located him at a hotel and moved in to arrest him on a misdemeanor warrant. Hoping to avoid a public scene involving a high-profile influencer, officers approached without uniforms and spoke with Johnson directly. He agreed to go with them, pausing first to say a prayer with his team.
During transport, Johnson remained composed, engaging officers in conversation about Texas, his background, and his schedule. He told officers that Tuesday was his day to transact with the outside world, and expressed hope that someone on his team would alert people that he would be unavailable.
At the station, Johnson was informed he was facing a terr0ristic threat charge. He expressed surprise, saying, “No, I didn’t see that one coming, but it came.”
When a detective attempted to question him, Johnson terminated the interview almost immediately after being read his Miranda rights. He also refused to surrender his phone, engaging the detective in a careful exchange over the phrasing of the request.
When the detective asked “Do you mind?” Johnson replied that yes, he minded, and suggested the detective use different language if it was a formal demand.
According to police records, investigators later learned that the black box Johnson had been carrying, which bore a Joe Rogan Experience sticker, contained two custom-made Staccato pistols intended as gifts for Rogan. Johnson had also appeared in a prior video carrying a medieval axe.
Joe Rogan was contacted by officers and told police he had never had any contact with Johnson and was unaware of why he was being targeted. Rogan stated that Johnson “appears to be significantly unstable and seems like he needs help.”
Johnson posted a $20,000 bond the following day. As a condition of his release, he was ordered to have no contact with Rogan or his family and was required to wear a GPS monitor. Despite this, he posted a video shortly after his release that raised further concerns among law enforcement and his followers.
According to court documents, Johnson was formally charged with terr0ristic threat causing fear of imminent serious bodily injury. His case was dismissed in November 2025 following the completion of required counseling classes.
