Why was Liver King arrested? A closer look at how bizarre beef with Joe Rogan landed the infamous influencer in trouble

Brian Johnson, aka Liver King, has been on a hot streak recently, issuing strange challenges to Joe Rogan. However, the bizarre challenges soon turned into threats, which have led him to end up behind bars.

Earlier this week, in an Instagram video, Johnson challenged the UFC color commentator to a grappling match. Since then, however, he seemingly decided to confront the broadcasting legend in person. An attempt that got him on the law enforcement's radar.

Check out Liver King challenging Joe Rogan below:

A report by MMA Fighting confirms that Austin police have taken Liver King into custody after the infamous influencer flew into Austin, where Rogan resides, all the while continuing to challenge him to fight.

A statement from the police read:

"On Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at approximately 9:30 a.m., Austin Police Department detectives were notified that a subject identified as Brian Johnson, known online as 'Liver King', had made threats against Joe Rogan on his Instagram profile. Detectives reviewed the posts and observed that Johnson was traveling to Austin while continuing to make threatening statements. [H/t MMA Fighting]"

After Rogan confirmed that he had never had any contact with Johnson and considered the videos threatening, the police obtained a warrant to arrest him on charges of Terroristic Threat.

Later that day, police officers took the social media star into custody from the Four Seasons Hotel on San Jacinto Boulevard, charging him with Terroristic Threat, and a Class B misdemeanor. Johnson was later transported to Travis County Jail.

The 48-year-old fitness guru reportedly posted videos on his Instagram even after he was apprehended by the police.

In one of the more concerning videos Liver King put out before the arrest, he can be heard saying:

"We’re coming to you. I’ve challenged you man-to-man to a fight. Honorable. We don’t have to pretend or make any videos. The world is watching; they’ll make the videos for us."

Check out Liver King's callout to Joe Rogan below:

The influencer first burst into the spotlight for his impressive physique, which he initially claimed was all natural, and for professing the nine ancestral tenets, a supposed technique he credited for maintaining his impressive form.

While he was later forced to come clean about his steroid use, during the time he posed as a natural, Johnson had urged Joe Rogan to invite him on his world-famous podcast. An offer that the UFC legend never took him up on. Perhaps Liver King's resentment for the broadcaster stems from this.