In 2018, Phoenix became a part-time color commentator for WWE, mainly for women-related events, starting from January 16 to April 3, 2018 for the first season of the "WWE Mixed Match Challenge", commenting the tournament each week alongside Michael Cole and Corey Graves. On January 28, 2018 at the Royal Rumble event, she made a one-night wrestling return as a face for the first time since 2012 by entering the first-ever women's Royal Rumble match as a competitor, making her the first person to appear in both a men's and women's Royal Rumble. She entered at number 24 and lasted over two minutes before being eliminated by Natalya.