AJ Styles Backstage At Tonight's Raw

The WWE Champion is set to be backstage at tonight's Raw, but why?

Jack King looking thoughtful

Mar 19, 2018

AJ Styles

AJ Styles is set to be backstage at tonight's Raw, according to Mike Johnson of

PWInsider

.

The WWE Champion is expected to be looked over by medical staff at the show in Dallas, Texas. This is obviously very important as not only is Styles champion, but is also one of the participants in a marquee WrestleMania match on April 8th.

Styles is set to defend his title against Royal Rumble winner Shinsuke Nakamura, a rematch after they faced at New Japan's Wrestle Kingdom 10 event.

Questions will obviously be raised about whether Styles will appear on Raw itself, although unlike John Cena in recent weeks, he hasn't been involved in any storylines on the flagship brand.

Styles has been working a very reduced schedule on house shows recently. Johnson explains:

'WWE champion AJ Styles only made one appearance over the weekend, working briefly at Madison Square Garden where he saved Shinsuke Nakamura from an attack by Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn.  Styles was slated to work as Nakamura's tag team partner, but Owens and Zayn attacked the pair and injured Styles with several chairshots before the bell.'

It's likely that this limited action is to prevent Styles from further aggravating any potential injury he may be carrying - especially with WrestleMania 34 so close, and with such a big marquee match riding on his own health.

Styles has held the WWE Championship since November, when he defeated Jinder Mahal on an episode of SmackDown in Manchester, England. He most recently defended the title at Fastlane, pinning Kevin Owens to win a six-pack challenge also featuring Cena, Sami Zayn, Baron Corbin, and Dolph Ziggler.