Eve moved into a storyline with Zack Ryder in December 2011, and the pair won a mixed tag team match against Natalya and Tyson Kidd on the December 26 episode of "Raw". On the January 9, 2012 episode of "Raw", Eve agreed to a date with Ryder beginning a storyline relationship. Following her participation in an eight-diva tag team match at the 2012 Royal Rumble—in which she Kelly Kelly, Alicia Fox, and Tamina were defeated by Phoenix, Natalya, and The Bella Twins in an 8 Diva Tag Team match. Kane began targeting Ryder (established as a friend of John Cena, with whom Kane had been feuding), injuring him before turning his attention on Eve, first trying to attack her after an unsuccessful championship match before Cena came out to save her. On the February 6 edition of "Raw", Eve suffered a broken nose during another eight Diva tag team match.