With the Holiday Season upon us, it is time to take a step back and put away our harsh criticisms and outlandish opinions (at least in this one article) in order to use the warm part of our hearts and actually say something nice about somebody. Which we will do in the following piece when we take a look at some professional wrestlers who we (I) have bashed greatly this past year.

This is not to say that poking fun of these wrestlers will stop entirely but for this piece we will aim to "give credit where credit is due." Criticism is necessary and those who cannot accept it are usually those who wear the thinnest of skins. However, sometimes it really is nice to simply receive a compliment. Perhaps this is why we have become such a juvenile group of adults; we hide behind keyboards and hate, hate, hate.

It really isn't that difficult to love one another, so what happened to our generation? When did we become afraid of love? Have we grown desensitized to emotion? Have we reached a place where the only way we can express a sincere smile is through an Emoji? What do we really care about? Sex and possession which is evident throughout the Holiday Season; a time which is supposed to mean more.

On Christmas Morning, millions of people will post their newly acquired possessions online for their friends to envy. On New Year's Eve, random strangers will meet at parties and wake up on New Year's Day uncertain of each other's name. Jealousy and lust motive us more than anything. What happened to sharing the wealth and making love? Do these values no longer exist?

Well, we're not here today to solve these problems; as disturbing as they may seem. However, we are here to remind everybody that those who we do criticism on a regular basis are human beings as well as we present 15 cases of giving "credit where credit is due."

Note: as the author of any articles on this site, I have been shredded apart in the comments on multiple occasions and that's perfectly fine. However, I wonder how many of you can actually not slam something on the internet. Let's see if you can actually hold back your hatred on this piece and I promise you can double-hate me on the next go 'round.

15 15. Eva Marie 

via sltdwrestling.com
via sltdwrestling.com

We have to begin with a Diva who remains a hot topic of internet discussion in Eva Marie. The red-haired-beauty has taken a hell of a lot of heat during her time in WWE for her lack of talent.

Well, if you have been tuning into NXT, you have seen Eva Marie working in their Women's Division and trying to find her stride. Granted, she remains far from good and still has much work ahead.

However, if you pay attention and give her the time of day - and not just for her looks - you will have noticed some in-ring improvement from Eva Marie. Perhaps she will make something of her time with the company.

14 14. Mark Henry 

via catch-arena.com
via catch-arena.com

Good old, Mark Henry. "The World's Strongest Man" will celebrate twenty years with the WWE in 2016. Hard to believe but Henry has been hanging around longer than many of the boys in the back.

Now then, Mark Henry was never meant to be a technical wrestler who rivaled guys like Eddie Guerrero or Dean Malenko. Henry was brought in as muscle and used as such. And for some reason, the fans have always enjoyed giving Henry a hard time.

Here's the thing with Mark Henry: deep down he is big, soft, Texas boy who writes poetry and lives with a gentle heart. Henry's longevity in WWE proves that there is something to believe in with "The World's Strongest Man."

13 13. Big Show 

via bleacherreport.com
via bleacherreport.com

It is becoming too easy to pick on Big Show. The "please retire" chants must hurt the big man a least a little. Big Show loves WWE and betting odds would say that his career is certainly close to an end.

However, let's not forget about Big Show and the kind of wrestler he once was. While working as The Giant in WCW, the man would showcase an athletic ability that caught the eye of WWE officials.

Big Show's better days are behind him, but we shouldn't forget that there have been good days. Show has remained a professional throughout all these years and a man willing to put over just about anybody.

12 12. Ryback 

via 411mania.com
via 411mania.com

Was Ryback created in the likeness of Goldberg? The WWE Universe believed so during Ryback's early run with the company. However, those chants have faded and Ryback has seemingly gotten over.

Here we have another case of a jacked-up-dude who has been criticized for his in-ring ability and accused of only being used strictly based on his look; a look long desired by those in WWE.

However, Ryback has come a long way from being a Tough Enough contestant. His struggles were real and Ryback has displayed enough will to fight through and finally attain some success.

11 11. Rusev 

via bleacherreport.com
via bleacherreport.com

One of the biggest problems facing Rusev is his inability to truly connect with the audience, which is not really his fault as Rusev has been constantly overshadowed by Lana.

In many ways, this takes away from a Rusev match as the "Lana" chants distract from the actual action. Is Rusev a good wrestler? Well, we're not entirely sure but he has certainly displayed flashes of the quality.

The American-hating gimmick is nothing new but is a timeless angle that will always illicit emotion for live American crowds. One thing is for sure when it comes to Rusev: there is potential in "The Bulgarian Brute."

10 10. Sheamus 

via WWE.com
via WWE.com

Due to unforeseen circumstances, Seth Rollins was forced to vacate the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, leading to a tournament that would crown the new top dog in WWE.

While it was in fact Roman Reigns who emerged the victor of said tournament, "The Celtic Warrior," Sheamus would then cash-in his Money in the Bank contract to take the title away from Reigns.

This was not viewed in a favorable light by many fans but keep in mind that Sheamus has worked his ass off to become a WWE Superstar; a man from a foreign land who actually reached the top of WWE.

9 9. Batista 

via mindofcarnage.com
via mindofcarnage.com

At the moment, Batista is not an active member of the WWE roster. Will "The Animal" return someday? That's entirely up to him as the door has been left open for Batista should he desire another comeback.

Batista makes this list because there has been a lot of negativity placed out there about Batista; especially during his return in 2014 when the perception was that Batista was taking Daniel Bryan's spot.

Take time to remember that Batista was once the centrepiece of the SmackDown roster during a time when WWE was growing more stagnant by the week. That was a tough weight to shoulder, but Batista did it well.

8 8. CM Punk 

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

You may still be angry with him for abandoning the WWE Universe and you know that he doesn't really care that you're angry but admit it: you miss CM Punk and all that hatred is really coming from a place of love.

Despite your feelings, you remember CM Punk fondly because in the past five years, Punk has been the most interesting person in WWE. Punk even made you believe - for a split second - that WWE was about to change entirely.

It's understandable to miss CM Punk as he truly was the best wrestler in WWE while he was hanging around. Punk cut the most intense promo in years which was dubbed the "Pipe Bomb" and is still viewed regularly on YouTube.

7 7. The Bella Twins 

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Nikki and Brie Bella are hard to ignore, especially during a season of Total Divas that they are heavily promoting. And yes, there are those who find The Bella Twins obnoxious.

However, let's look at what they have done for the company: in a weird way they have probably attracted some new viewers to WWE programming. Those reality show fans who are interested in seeing what the whole "wrestling thing is all about."

Despite the fact that they may be annoying, they have proven to enjoy what they do in WWE and, judging by both their physiques, it is clear that Nikki and Brie work extremely hard to maintain themselves for their profession.

6 6. Michael Cole 

via attackofthefanboy.com
via attackofthefanboy.com

Do you hate Michael Cole? Do you wish that you were listening to the voice of Jim Ross every Monday night ? Sure, everybody misses Good Ol' J.R. but let's not be too harsh when it comes to Cole.

Keep in mind that a good chunk of what you hear Michael Cole say on air comes directly from Vince McMahon, who is always situated at the gorilla position backstage and equipped with a headset to fee his announcers lines.

Michael Cole has been with WWE for a long time and filling the shoes of Jim Ross - the greatest play-by-play wrestling announcer of all time - has been no easy task. Cole does what he can with what is provided.

5 5. Roman Reigns 

via ringsidenews.com
via ringsidenews.com

This has certainly been a strange year for Roman Reigns, who found himself on the receiving end of a lot of boos from the WWE Universe despite the fact that Reigns has worked the entire time as a face.

When Roman Reigns won the Royal Rumble at the start of the year, the backlash was quick and wicked as Reigns was not the man expected to win and not the man who the fans wanted to win the match.

However, you have to give it to a guy who sticks it out through the hatred without compromising anything; and Roman Reigns has done just that by remaining true to himself.

4 4. The Rock 

via bleacherreport.com
via bleacherreport.com

While The Rock remains one of the greatest WWE Superstars of all time, his "People" tend to have a bipolar relationship with "The Great One." Some years ago, The Rock left for Hollywood and it all began.

You see, the "People" love "The People's Champ" whenever he is around; even if seven years have past. However, when The Rock is not around, the "People" tend to hate their hero.

Now let's be honest about The Rock: we would all love to see him back full-time in WWE but that is never going to happen and we have to accept that and appreciate all The Rock did during the Attitude Era to help WWE survive.

3 3. Brock Lesnar 

via betweentheropes.com
via betweentheropes.com

Brock Lesnar is one of the most hated professional athletes on the planet. Lesnar is smug, cocky and doesn't give a damn about anybody except himself and his family; which is oddly admirable.

Working on a part-time basis, Brock Lesnar shows up from time-to-time in WWE simply for a pay check and if you were to ask him if that statement was true, Lesnar would not deny it, as he has made his intentions clear.

Despite the fact that Brock Lesnar doesn't really care about the wrestling aspect of the company, it has been his matches and presence over the past few years that have provided WWE with its most legitimacy and for that fans should be thankful.

2 2. Triple H 

via dailywrestlingnews.com
via dailywrestlingnews.com

It's not always easy being king, let alone the "King of Kings." Triple H has been defined on many occasions by his association with the McMahon Family, not by choice but a matter of the heart.

Look, you really can't help who you fall in love with; things happen and certain people are drawn to each other no matter what. While this specific criticism of Triple H is not going to go away anytime soon, let's lay it to rest... at least for the day.

Triple H in his own right is a phenomenal in-ring competitor; a thirteen-time World Champion and one of the best in the business. "The Game" has essentially done it all and not entirely based on his McMahon affiliations.

1 1. John Cena 

via bleacherreport.com
via bleacherreport.com

Just mentioning the name John Cena can illicit great emotions from wrestling fans. Cena is loved by many and hated by many more. However, Cena has never buckled under the pressure.

John Cena has been the face of WWE for the past decade and has carried the company with a sense of pride that is truly refreshing. Cena is a much better humanitarian than Hulk Hogan ever was and has much more class.

The "let's go Cena" vs. "Cena sucks" chants will continue on but that's all part of the fun of watching John Cena. You may not even realize through your hatred of Cena that he is the one who drew you into the show.