The wrestling world was left wondering why AJ Styles wore a mask at a live event this weekend, and now the US Champ has explained himself.

AJ Styles has taken WWE by storm in the relatively short time he has been with the company. In less than two years, he has not only been a WWE Champion and held the United States Title on multiple occasions, but he is far and away one of the most popular Superstars on the entire roster. It really feels like he has been a WWE Superstar for a lot longer than he actually has.

The Phenomenal One was making a name for himself in Japan this time two years ago, however, and at one point, he headed up the Bullet Club. Recently, Styles got the opportunity to return to the Land of the Rising Sun to take part in some live events for WWE. There's no doubt that Styles is highly regarded in Japan following the time he spent there, and he decided to pay homage to a certain night in his past on his most recent visit.

During WWE's live event in Osaka, Styles came to the ring wearing a mask. It sparked conversations among fans about what it could mean exactly. Are we about to see a new AJ Styles on SmackDown Live? Well, it turns out it's nothing that drastic, but still something pretty cool. When Styles did battle with Shinsuke Nakamura at Wrestle Kingdom 10 he wore a similar mask to the ring. Him wearing it in Osaka recently was merely a throwback to that, and a treat for all of the fans in Japan that supported him while he was the leader of the Bullet Club.

RELATED: AJ STYLES REVEALS THE ONE THING HE HAD TO CHANGE FOR WWE

As touched upon above, Styles is currently extremely popular in WWE. While the mask was a pretty cool touch for that specific event, The Phenomenal One's persona certainly doesn't need tweaking as of right now. For fans of New Japan who witnessed Styles face Nakamura in Shinsuke's home country, it was a stark reminder that we may very well be on the road to seeing that bout in WWE.

Anytime someone in WWE tips their cap or pays homage to the Bullet Club it sets off alarm bells. Hardcore fans are desperate to see some sort of Club formation in WWE, whether it be led by AJ Styles or Finn Balor. It does feel like that's where we're headed one way or the other, but the mask in Osaka is likely not a sign that a reunion is just around the corner.